Trump Was ‘Confrontational’ On Call With Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Over Greenland’s Future

President Donald Trump spoke with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen over the phone five days before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. According to two European officials, during the 45-minute call, Frederiksen suggested more cooperation on military and economic issues but reiterated that Greenland was not for sale.

Danish officials told the Financial Times that the went poorly and Trump was “aggressive and confrontational” on the call. “The intent was very clear. They want it. The Danes are now in crisis mode,” one said.

Trump’s demand for ownership of the autonomous Danish island of Greenland is “non-negotiable” EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said this week.

Though part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland has existed as an autonomous territory with its own flag, language and institutions since 1979. However, the territory does not have its own currency, constitution or citizenship, and Denmark controls the judiciary and its foreign affairs.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede has said that the people of Greenland should decide their own future, but both Greenland and Denmark have said that the Arctic island is not for sale.

“We are not negotiating on Greenland. Of course, we are supporting our member state, Denmark, and its autonomous region, Greenland, but we shouldn’t also go into speculation about what-ifs because this is not the situation right now,” Kallas told reporters after an EU foreign ministers’ meeting.

Denmark’s foreign minister and former prime minister, Lokke Rasmussen, spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Jan. 24.

Rasmussen said that the conversation had a “good and constructive tone” as they discussed “the Arctic region” as well as other issues like Ukraine. The State Department said that Rubio and Rasmussen “discussed the importance of deepening bilateral and regional cooperation on security and defense, economic and trade matters, and ending the war in Ukraine,” and that Rubio “reaffirmed the strength of the relationship.”