Pipaluk Lynge-Rasmussen, a member of Greenland's parliament, called out the "staged" nature of Donald Trump Jr.'s visit to the island territory, even reporting that he and his entourage were flipped off by locals at the airport.
Lynge, who stressed that Greenland wants “our own independence and democracy” and not be beholden to the U.S., spoke after President-elect Donald Trump’s eldest son flew to Greenland and met with locals he claimed are supportive of the U.S. taking it over.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside the Faroe Islands, the only other autonomous territory within the Kingdom. Citizens of both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are full citizens of Denmark. As one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union, Greenland’s citizens are also recognized as EU citizens.
Although geographically part of the North American continent, Greenland has maintained strong political and cultural ties to Europe—specifically to Norway and Denmark, its historical colonial powers—for over a millennium.
The United States has long recognized Greenland's strategic importance. In 1946, the U.S. even proposed purchasing Greenland from Denmark, offering $100 million in gold as part of the deal—and while that never panned out, the world is nervously watching the president-elect since he voiced his desire for territorial expansion, calling "the ownership and control of Greenland" an "absolute necessity."
But Lynge described Trump Jr.'s visit as little more than a stunt. Local media reported that Trump Jr.'s entourage distributed MAGA hats to residents during the visit. Video footage from the trip also showed him speaking to cap-wearing Greenlanders over speakerphone during a lunch event.
She said:
“No journalists were allowed to interview him. It was all staged to make it seem like we — the Greenlandic people — were MAGA and love to be a part of the USA."
And she noted that not everyone received Trump Jr. so warmly:
“People were curious, but some took pictures giving him [the] finger at the airport … Some wrote on Facebook: yankee go home."
But you wouldn't know that based on how Trump Jr. portrayed his own visit, sharing a photo of himself flanked by MAGA cap-wearing Greenlanders holding the American flag:
"Greenland loves America and Trump!!! Incredible people with an equally awesome reception. They just want to be able to utilize some of the incredible resources that they have and allow themselves, their country, and their kids to flourish."
You can see his post below.
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Trump Jr. also went further, sharing photos on Instagram, saying "so many people excited about our visit, especially the youth. They love America and Trump."
You can see his post below.
But according to Danish news outlet DR News, sources revealed that the individuals wearing new MAGA hats during the visit were homeless and socially disadvantaged people who had been offered dinners at Hotel Hans Egede in exchange for their participation. DR News also reported that others were able to identify specific individuals who traded their support for a meal at the hotel.
No one was surprised that Trump Jr.'s visit was really just a Trumpy publicity stunt.
Earlier this week, President-elect Trump stated that he would not rule out the use of military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, asserting that U.S. control of both territories was crucial for American national security.
Trump left the possibility open, stating:
“I’m not going to commit to that. It might be that you’ll have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country. We need Greenland for national security purposes.”
Last month, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said "Greenland is ours" and "not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom."
Moreover, the Panama Canal has been under Panama's exclusive control for over 25 years. The United States transferred the Panama Canal Zone back to the country in 1979 and concluded its joint management of the vital waterway in 1999.
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