<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Greenland's prime minister said that the mineral-rich Arctic territory's people don't want to be Americans, but that he understands </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="US President-elect Donald Trump"><span>US President-elect Donald Trump</span></a><span>'s interest in the island given its strategic location and he's open to greater cooperation with Washington.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The comments from the Greenlandic leader, Múte B. Egede, came after Trump said earlier this week that he wouldn't rule out using force or economic pressure in order to make Greenland — which is an autonomous territory belonging to Denmark — a part of the United States. Trump said that it was a matter of national security for the U.S.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Egede acknowledged that Greenland is part of the North American continent, and “a place that the Americans see as part of their world.” He said he hasn't spoken to Trump, but that he's open to discussions about what “unites us.”</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/trump-can-still-vote-after-sentencing-but-cant-own-a-gun-and-will-have-to-turn-over-dna-sample/bf1d1b75-b09b-4e24-84e0-3f30c234173c" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. What does that mean?"><strong><span>Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. What does that mean?</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work towards solutions,” he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Egede has been calling for independence for Greenland, casting Denmark as a colonial power that hasn't always treated the Indigenous Inuit population well.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic,” he said at a news conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/greenlands-leader-says-his-people-dont-want-to-be-americans-as-trump-covets-territory/b063d17d-d0b3-48a0-bc81-f06397f655c4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump’s desire for Greenland has sparked anxiety in Denmark as well as across Europe. The United States is a strong ally of 27-nation European Union and the leading member of the NATO alliance, and many Europeans were shocked by the suggestion that an incoming US leader could even consider using force against an ally.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Frederiksen said that she sees a positive aspect in the discussion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“The debate on Greenlandic independence and the latest announcements from the U.S. show us the large interest in Greenland,” she said. “Events which set in motion a lot of thoughts and feelings with many in Greenland and Denmark."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“The US is our closest ally, and we will do everything to continue a strong cooperation,” she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Frederiksen and Egede spoke to journalists after a biannual assembly of Denmark and two territories of its kingdom, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The meeting had been previously scheduled and wasn't called in response to Trump's recent remarks. Trump's eldest son also made a visit to Greenland on Tuesday, landing in a plane emblazoned with the word TRUMP and handing out Make America Great Again caps to locals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Danish public broadcaster, DR, reported Friday that Trump's team encouraged homeless and socially disadvantaged people in Greenland to appear in a video wearing the MAGA hats after being offered a free meal in a nice restaurant. The report quoted a local resident, Tom Amtof, who recognised some of those in a video broadcast by Trump's team.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“They are being bribed, and it is deeply distasteful,” he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Greenland has a population of 57,000. But it's a vast territory possessing natural resources that include oil, gas, and rare earth elements, which are expected to become more accessible as ice melts because of climate change. It also has a key strategic location in the Arctic, where Russia, China and others are seeking to expand their footprint.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Greenland, the world’s largest island, is an autonomous territory ruled by Denmark, but it lies closer to the North American mainland than to Denmark. While Copenhagen is responsible for its foreign affairs and defence, the U.S. also shares responsibility for Greenland’s defence and operates an air force base there based on a 1951 treaty.</span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2024/11/12/09/47/us-election-all-the-people-donald-trump-second-administration-in-photos"><img alt="Trump appointments" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/6fYnOAOCCAa1y-o6y47tD-85DwY=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F3eb51c93-7e95-4073-9905-8869555ff026" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/6fYnOAOCCAa1y-o6y47tD-85DwY=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F3eb51c93-7e95-4073-9905-8869555ff026 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/MTksw4ThxnWYLjxCX4Haff2ARuM=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F3eb51c93-7e95-4073-9905-8869555ff026 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">Trump announces flood of new appointments to Pentagon and DOGE </div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2024/11/12/09/47/us-election-all-the-people-donald-trump-second-administration-in-photos">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-hush-money-case-conviction-sentencing-new-york-courtroom/b1a6e511-2f08-48d7-b8be-4221ff084afb" target="" title="Trump decries conviction despite getting no punishment"><strong><span>Trump decries conviction despite getting no punishment</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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