The eldest son of the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, arrived in Greenland on Tuesday for a private visit that has increased speculation that the next U.S. government would seek to take control of the Danish territory.
The Danish state broadcaster reported that Trump Jr.'s plane landed in Nuuk, the capital of the vast and icy territory that has around 57,000 residents.
In a statement, the government of Greenland said that Donald Trump Jr. is visiting the island “as a private individual” and not on an official visit, and that he will not meet with Greenlandic representatives. According to authorities, he will stay in the territory for 4 to 5 hours.
The Trump Jr. delegation has not requested to hold official meetings with government representatives. According to AP sources, the eldest son of the next president of the United States is in Greenland to record video content for a podcast.
What is the impact of Trump Jr.'s visit to Greenland?
The president-elect recently expressed his desire —which he also mentioned during his first presidency— to acquire the vast Arctic territory. Greenland is an autonomous territory that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister of Greenland, Múte Egede, is calling for the island's independence. In a New Year's speech, he expressed that it would be a way for Greenland to free itself from its colonial past. However, Egede has also stated that he is not interested in having the territory become part of the United States, insisting that the island is not for sale.
King Frederik X of Denmark has claimed the rights of his kingdom to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, an autonomous archipelago located between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic.
Last month, the king changed Denmark’s coat of arms to include fields representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands: Greenland is represented by a silver bear sitting upright with a red tongue. “We are all united and each of us is committed to the Kingdom of Denmark,” Frederik said in his New Year’s speech, adding: “Even Greenland.”