With President Donald Trump demanding Denmark sell Greenland to the United States or face the possibility of its seizure by military force, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, pushed back on the idea Monday.
In a joint statement issued with a Danish Parliament member who represents the Arctic island, Murkowski said, “Greenland is not for sale.”
Murkowski and Aaja Chemnitz said Greenland’s appeal was easy to understand because of its strategic location for defense and shipping and as a storehouse for minerals used in multiple industries but the United States needs to respect Greenland’s status as a Danish territory.
“As legislators representing Greenland in Denmark and the United States, we see a better path forward,” they wrote. “The United States, like Denmark, should recognize that the future will be defined by partnership, not ownership. To ensure our alliance reaches its full potential, Americans must view Greenland as an ally, not an asset. Open for business, but not for sale.”
Over the weekend, Trump told reporters he believes the U.S. will “have” the country and that Greenland’s 57,000 residents “want to be with us.” Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland during his first term as president, saying U.S. control of the island is necessary for national security.
On Saturday, he told reporters U.S. ownership of Greenland is “for protection of the free world.”
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland have both said the island is not for sale.
Chemnitz chairs and Murkowski-co-chairs the Arctic Parliamentarians forum — a group of politicians representing the Arctic region who work together to address common challenges, according to its website.
They said the U.S. can achieve its national security goals without taking over the territory and are advocating for increased cooperation between the U.S. and Greenland on defense, mineral development and trade.
“Let’s remember that the U.S. portion of the Arctic — Alaska — shares more than lines of latitude with Greenland,” they wrote, adding that Greenland and the northernmost U.S. state share similar languages and history.
“Alaska has the same advantages as Greenland, from strategic location to abundant resources,” they wrote. “We can form the heart of this union throughout the 21st century and beyond.”
Rather than redrawing borders, they said the U.S. and Denmark should work together and work harder to ensure prosperity, peaceful and respectful collaboration and protection of their respective peoples.