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(The Hill) – Donald Trump Jr. is planning to head to Greenland for a day-long trip just weeks after his father, President-elect Trump, said U.S. ownership of the Danish territory "is an absolute necessity."
A source familiar with the plan confirmed to The Hill that Trump Jr. would be visiting "for a quick day-long trip to shoot some fun video content for podcasting."
He will not be meeting with any government officials or political figures on this visit, according to the source. The Hill has reached out to the president-elect's team for comment.
Trump renewed his calls to buy Greenland in a recent statement on Truth Social while announcing Ken Howery as his nominee to serve as ambassador to Denmark.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump said in the Truth Social post.
While Greenland's prime minister, Múte Egede, has since announced a desire to obtain independence from Denmark in the wake of Trump’s comments, he pushed back on Trump and insisted that the island is not for sale.
“The Greenlandic people’s opportunity for independence has been adopted through the provisions of the Self-Government Act, thereby creating a legal basis for how independence can be achieved,” Egede said in a New Year day speech in honor.
He added that the island must break free from "the shackles of colonialism" and shape its own future.
The president-elect first raised the idea of buying Greenland in late 2019, when he said the territory was “strategically” interesting, triggering an angry response from the then-Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Since being reelected, Trump has issued statements about taking over Greenland and the Panama Canal. Some have seen his Greenland talk as a nod to his national security interests, as the Arctic is considered key to countering Russia and China. Denmark recently announced a new package to boost security of the Arctic Island.
Brett Samuels contributed.
