Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen would be justified to be a tad confused. An official visit was planned to Denmark with President Donald Trump who made headlines by suddenly saying that he might buy Greenland. The response from Denmark was as predictable as if Frederiksen suddenly announced an interest in buying Rhode Island. She declined the offer. The response from Trump was to cancel the visit since they will not sell him part of their country. Trump later added insult to injury by calling Frederiksen “nasty” and “not very nice” in swatting back a sudden public offer to buy a huge amount of territory from Denmark.
I have no problem with a president exploring a purchase of an area like Greenland (which has been tried before), but it is done not on twitter or a presser. It is done through back channels to explore any interest. There is no interest. The public declaration from Trump however compelled the Prime Minister to state that the proposal was viewed as “absurd.”
Trump responded by saying that the refusing to sell off part of their lands made a meeting unnecessary despite Denmark being a long-standing ally. Trump simply stated “based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greeland, I will be postponing our meeting schedule in two weeks for another time …”
Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time….
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
….The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!84.2K7:51 PM – Aug 20, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy30.6K people are talking about this
This is all embarrassing for the United States. If we were setting up the meeting solely to discuss the purpose of a large amount of Denmark’s territory, it should have been vetted before in private. We cannot run a major nation through Twitter and oft-hand comments.
This is a NATO ally which was preparing for an official visit of the President of the United States “to celebrate Denmark’s close relationship to the US”. . First it must deal with a sudden offer to buy part of their territory and then a brush off because they refused to do so. This type of conduct is destroying our standing with the world.
Former foreign minister Kristian Jensen put it simply in describing the “total chaos” caused by Trump’s statements: “It has gone from a great opportunity for enhanced dialogue between allies to a diplomatic crisis.”
slow news day?
You’re seeing what happens when you have a narcissist who thinks he can just push people around and who fires career diplomatic personnel, who would have explained how such an idea would be diplomatically explored.
As with most discussions with Trump supporters, you are missing the point. You are arguing the value of possessing Greenland, something that isn’t disputed. It is mineral-rich, especially with uranium. The point of this piece is the arrogant, narcissistic manner in which Trump went about exploring the purchase, publicly announcing wanting to purchase this country, totally disregarding the autonomy and right of Denmark to be treated with dignity and respect as an ally. When the prime minister rebuffed his ham-handed approach, he refused to meet with her at all, confirming what everyone knows: he is a narcissist and doesn’t care about anyone other than himself. Anyone who doesn’t participate in making him look good is bad. Any woman who refuses him or disagrees with him is “nasty”. He called her “nasty”, and is actually pissed off. He doesn’t get it.
Natch more spam drivel day after day irrelevant to topic at hand. obsessed much?
But it didn’t bother you that Obama is a narcissist to the extreme? By the way, despite his promise he did not lower the oceans and release the unicorns. He was so full of himself that it became a game to count the number of times he said ‘I’ in a speech [always a lot], yet his grasp of general knowledge was razor thin. He pronounced ‘corps’ as ‘corpse’ several times. He said he had campaigned in 57 states and had 3 to go. I wish he had named them [there are only 50, Natacha], and he mixed up Pearl Harbor Day with the day we bombed Hiroshima. Oh yes, he said many times that under Obamacare you can keep your doctor and your insurance plan and pay less–a flat out lie. But none of that bothered you.
You’ve been watching Hannity again. Obama is old news, and pivoting to call him names and accusing him of also being a narcissist (which is isn’t, BTW) is so Kellyanne. Even if what you said is true, which it mostly isn’t, how does that excuse Trump and his endless faux pas?
more irrelevant spam drivel narcissist, kellyanne hannity, blah blah blah
‘Obama is old news’? He doesn’t think so. You have a short attention span.
My comment about Obama ‘mostly isn’t’ true? All of it is true except for the snark about his failing to release the unicorns. He did think he had been to 57 states. He did pronounce ‘corps’ as ‘corpse’ and he did promise that Obamacare would allow us to keep our doctors and plans for less. All of that is available on video.
Corpse for corps: https://www.military.com/video/forces/marine-corps/obama-mispronounces-corpsman/663155186001
Obama promises you can keep your doctor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44kyHOPEZV8
Obama says he visited 57 states [Hint: he didn’t] thehill.com/homenews/administration/406825-trump-fake-news-media-didnt-cover-when-obama-accidentally-said-57
I haven’t been watching Hannity and you, apparently, haven’t been watching anything.
I posted this twice with links to videos of Obama saying what I said he said. Both times the comment has gone to ‘moderation dungeon’ and not come out. If this works I will wonder what is wrong with links to Obama videos. Why is he censored when he is in his Biden mode?
My comment about Obama ‘mostly isn’t’ true? All of it is true except for the snark about his failing to release the unicorns. He did think he had been to 57 states. He did pronounce ‘corps’ as ‘corpse’ and he did promise that Obamacare would allow us to keep our doctors and plans for less. All of that is available on video.
Corpse for corps:
Obama promises you can keep your doctor:
Obama says he visited 57 states
I haven’t been watching Hannity and you, apparently, haven’t been watching anything.
And they called Alaska, “Seward’s Folly.”
Hear, hear!
Has anyone asked the actual inhabitants of Greenland what they think of the idea?
The Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are all for it considering Bill Clinton descended on the landmass via the Lolita Express and tried to literally screw them, mistaking them for teenage girls. When they saw Hillary Clinton, the Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) blew hot air at her stating she was a threat to their habitat, while the Greenland Gray wolf (Canis lupus) attempted to bite that ugly Chelsea but James Carville jumped in and tried to drag a $100 bill through the ice……
Greenland should be the 51st State of the US while Puerto Rico can go to the Left who can fulminate with their toxic dump socialist brains and pass gas
I love Denmark. However, a few thoughts on this:
Beowulf was a Geat, but he fought for the Danes when he defended the Danish ear Hrothgar’s hall Heorot from the Grendel. To my mind, Trump is a hero like Beowulf was, and like Beowulf, he is a big boaster.
The Danes still owe my Anglo-Saxon ancestors for their depredations and enslavements in the time of King Alfred. wer-gild aka “reparations” are in order!
Greenland, was discovered by Erik the Red, a Dane. Back then, it was green. Because we were in a period of warm “climate change” it got really cold and the eskimos were the only ones to flourish when the Danes did not. And yet the Danes nominally still “own” Greenland which is 90% eskimo
Erik’s son Leif discovered America. That one didn’t work out as well for Denmark as Greenland did.
There’s a lesson in there somewhere, Not sure where!
“Greenland, was discovered by Erik the Red, a Dane”
Hmmm, what about the native inhabitants that were there before Erik arrived?
I suppose Columbus discovered India as well? Or was that some island off the Americas? Anyway, Columbus is the discoverer as well as good old Erik. Native Americans? who cares.
What standing did we have with the chic Obama?
China made Obama exit from the butt of his airplane because they wouldn’t push a ramp to the door, so little they thought of this country and our president.
I don’t think any country will do that with President Trump. His response was appropriate given the Danish PM’s rude behavior. The whole episode cost her more than it cost him. Trump’s news cycle is about 12 hours; but I imagine the Danes will be blabbing about their PM for much longer, for better or worse.
Denmark has a significantly lower population and GDP than Los Angeles County. It is hardly a real country. Who cares what they think? As much as Greenland costs little Denmark each year it probably would be a good deal for them to sell it to someone.
In any event, our President seems to be getting a lot done while the elites and professionals in politics wring their hands about ‘standing’ and the way he communicates.
Trump is not “our” anything. Most Americans did not vote for him, and have, by a consistent and historic majority, disapproved of him. Greenland is rich in natural resources, such as oil, gas, and, importantly, uranium. Where did you ever get the idea that Greenland costs Denmark anything? Where did he get the idea that he could just announce an intention to purchase a country that is an asset of an ally in this manner without any indication of an interest in selling, and then cancel a meeting when this is rebuffed? This isn’t an issue over “the way he communicates”–it’s his arrogant discounting of the rights of both Denmark and Greenland. It falls under the same category as genital-grabbing: I want, and therefore, I take. Who cares what you think? Who cares about your rights?
It is a Faux News talking point that Trump has accomplished a lot, but that’s simply not true, unless you count playing the race and religion cards to try to divide us as an “accomplishment”. His only legislative accomplishment is to lower taxes for corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Tariffs are hurting US farmers and consumers.
“… talking point that Trump has accomplished a lot….”
Trump’s presidency keeps you employed so be thankful you have a job in trolling for dollars you foul ugly beatch
Psssst: has Hillary grabbed you by the puzzy yet? I bet you’re cunnting the days when she does arentcha?
HE IS OUR PRESIDENT AND GREAT LEADER
HAIL TO THE CHIEF
Most of the time, Natacha, Trump’s favorable polling has been higher than Obama’s at the same time in his presidency despite round the clock attacks by the media. Where did I get the idea that Greenland costs Denmark anything? Mainly from the fact that Denmark spends far more each year to maintain Greenland than it receives from Greenland in return. It is like a rental property that costs more each month than it generates in income.
The idea of purchasing Denmark has been around for a very long while and has been considered by several administrations. It is not a new idea. And it may yet happen. Danes pay a lot of taxes; maybe they are tired of supporting Eskimos..
Even before he was sworn in Trump was luring companies back to the US [something Obama said was impossible], and his easing of regulations has opened up energy production to the point that we are now energy exporters. Obama said ‘we can’t just drill our way out of oil shortages.’ Trump just did. Trump has gotten tax cuts that have helped the economy. Trump has had an enormous influence on the federal judiciary. Trump got Mexico’s cooperation on illegal immigration. Obama and Kerry talked and talked about ‘red lines’ and the use of poison gas in Syria, but did nothing. Trump launched missiles while he was having dessert with the leader of China and the gassing of civilians stopped [though he did send a couple more as a reminder]. If he can do that while eating dessert imagine what would happen if they made him angry enough to get up from the table and get serious.
You don’t like what he says on the world stage, but he is taken seriously and that is good for us.
You’ve been watching Hannity again. How do you know the amount of money Denmark makes on uranium, oil or gas? You don’t because they don’t publicize it. As to “luring” companies, which ones? Name some that have located in the US in the last 2 years (other than that Russian aluminum company that paid McConnell back for easing sanctions by constructing a plant in Kentucky). How many US factories have closed or laid off workers in the last 2 years? Ask the folks in Michigan. Some of the regulations he “eased”, include guaranteeing medical care for victims of black lung disease which they’ve been begging for over 2 years now, many of whom have died waiting. Where did you get the idea there is any substantial change in energy shortages? What about EPA regulations for clean air and water? The EPA is being run by a lobbyist for industries that are supposed to be regulated. It is a tired old argument that rolling back regulations stimulates business. It doesn’t work. It does increase profits, though, if you look at the short-term.
The tax cuts have done nothing for our economy, and neither have tariffs. The ultra-wealthy used the tax cuts mostly for stock repurchases, not increasing hiring or building new factories. The “influence” on the federal judiciary is due to Mitch McConnell and the radical conservatives fulfilling their wish list of giving a lifetime appointment to often unqualified and inexperienced attorneys, many of whom have never set foot in a courtroom, much less have any judicial experience, and whose primary “qualification” consists of political ties. They will side with big business, big Pharma and big insurance over consumers every time. That’s why they were appointed. Trump knows nothing about the federal judiciary or any nominees. How on earth can he take credit for influencing the federal judiciary? He rubber-stamps whatever McConnell send him. In fact, he knows little about US government and how it works–for instance, he thinks he can, by Executive Order, overturn the provision of the Constitution giving citizenship to persons born or naturalized in the US.
You keep listening to Hannity, and he makes things up. Trump is an arrogant, narcissistic blowhard loser, and most of the world knows it. The world is worried about the extent his narcissism will take us when it becomes clear that he will get voted out of office. So do most Americans. He might just start a war.
You are absolutely wrong about Obama having similar low polling numbers, except for a couple of brief periods. Trump has never come close to breaking 50% in more than 2 years. He has set a record for negative approval ratings in the history of presidential polling.
Also I saw that Obama was scheduled to visit Denmark a few weeks after trump, so Obama’s larger crowd size would be an embarrassment for trump
And why does buying Greenland surprise anyone?
The Orange Clown strikes again.
This entire situation illustrates the level to which our ability to govern has been deteriorated. To say that we are in a state of anarchy does not go far enough. We have no functioning Government on any level.
Your use of Road Islands is laughable, but if you would have said Puerto Rico then some similarities could be deduced. But in either case, no matter what you consider to be proper Presidential actions, the President has no authority to even discuss a transaction of that type with any foreign nation, without first consulting the Senate for their advice and consent, which is Before and During, Not After.
What that means is that the President acts on the interest of the States as a Union, Not on his own interest! It seems baffling to me the lack of understanding of a sentence as simple as Article 2 Section 2 Clause 2, which clearly states that not only does the President have to consult the Senate for every foreign interaction, the President must get the concurrence of 2/3 of the Senate before he can proceed, and because of the advice part of that clause, the President must discuss the matters that the Senate has identified, and must negotiate based upon the criteria that the Senate has directed. There is no time that a President can decide on their own the contents, context, or what constitutes an agreement, only the States as they are assembled in the Senate, with equal rights of Suffrage to reach Majority Consensus, have the right and authority to make those decisions.
The President is only the messenger, not the decision maker!
Oops, there goes the idea of Coequal Branches of Government, especially when the President is always under the direct control of the Senate! If the States as the Union want to meet for any reason with the Danish Government, then Trump will be on the plane and meet when he has been instructed, and will discuss based upon an agenda determined by the Senate, in conjunction with, the Danish Government.
What Trump wants doesn’t amount to spit. If he wants to talk to the Danish Government on his own behalf, then he can do it on his own time after he is no longer President!
How long will we be willing to tolerate this and other horrific behavior from this President. His character flaws are certainly being revealed and appear to show him as a danger to the country
So you don’t like a strong economy with energy independence and more blacks and Hispanics with jobs than at any other time in our history? Are you afraid Denmark is going to declare war on us?
The opposition to President Trump has slipped toward insanity. Now the Left is wishing for a recession just to try to discredit him.
You’ve been watching Hannity again.
Actually not, and that is not an argument–more like something from grade school.
Yeah, Rachelle you have: the dead giveaway is referring to people who oppose Trump as “the Left”.
If the Pres. had enlisted help with this proposal from State Dept. people, he wouldn’t have embarrassed the United States in this fashion. He is NOT a team player, and doesn’t show any interest in learning to act as one.
When you’re right, I’ll agree. He has either fired or not filled a large number of State Department openings.
The advisors to the President are the Senators, and they are more than advisors, the President also needs their consent to begin or proceed.
Article 2 Section 2 Clause 2;
*He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
Notice, the Senate also has a role to play in appointments, the President can only nominate, the President cannot appoint or displace anyone within the Executive Departments without the Advice and Consent of the Senate!
Why is this clause so hard for us to understand!
you are bat sh!t crazy dude
Take that !!!!!!!!! sucker
🔪
Thank you, I’m glad you think so. At least that separates me from you and your ilk. Notice I copied the Constitution and pasted it in my comment verbatim. Sorry if you lack the reading and comprehension skills to understand it’s meaning.
This is precisely why and how William Barr, Mr. Deep Deep State, obtained the appointment to AG and Christopher Wray, Agent of the Deep Deep State, seized the FBI.
“Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission.”
___________________________________________________________
“There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to – The Outer Limits.”
– The Outer Limits, 1963
They obtained their appointments through conflicts of interest related to Party Affiliation.
I’m sure you won’t understand that either!
The way you rant I wonder if you are one of them.
Good ! — Foggy Bottom needs some ventilation. Blowhards
The U.S. could use Greenland to house it’s 11-15 million illegals until their status is settled through the courts or they choose to voluntarily return to their own countries. I’m not sure why Denmark isn’t interesting in discussing a possible sale. Perhaps Greenland has oil or mineral deposits? IDK why Denmark wants it……
Los Angeles could afford to buy Greenland to house its ‘homeless’ bums and addicts, anything to get them out of the ‘Fashion District’ which looks like Calcutta now.
😂
Seriously, not a bad idea. San Fran could use its islands in the Bay for housing the homeless. There’s Alcatraz, as well as Treasure Island and the jetty where San Quentin Prison is located. Build a new prison out in the desert, and use the land in the Bay for the homeless. One island for men, another for women. Cots, showers, health care, drug & alcohol rehab, job training, psych evals, etc. Living in the streets and spreading disease is not helping the homeless, the residents of the once beautiful city, or its declining tourist industry.
The old ‘Streets of San Francisco’ television series shows a clean, attractive city in the background. Not anymore, the Progressive’s goal is visible now–make America Calcutta. And they are succeeding in places like LA, SF, Portland and Seattle.
I like your idea but it is far too sensible to be considered in San Francisco.
Los Angeles doesn’t “look like” Calcutta, Los Angeles is Calcutta…the cesspool of the world.
The Prime Minister ‘s “absurd” public comment was unnecessarily insulting and warranted cancellation. The idea is not absurd and certainly was worth discussing.
The response from Denmark was as predictable as if Frederiksen suddenly announced an interest in buying Rhode Island.
No, it isn’t. Rhode Island has 1,000,000 people in it and annual revenues from productive enterprise of around $100 bn. Denmark, a country with a population of about 5 million and gross output of about 600 bn could never afford the asking price. Rhode Island has few ethnic Danes.
Greenland is an ice sheet with a rocky coast with limited settlement potential. It has a population of about 56,000 of whom 90% are Eskimos. It has a fishing industry and domestic services, but a great deal of the territory’s income is in the form of a subvention from the Danish government.
It’s a reasonable guess he cancelled the meeting because he’d planned the meeting to discuss the offer and when they took the idea off the table, they had no more reason to meet.
You’d do well to get over the notion that any idea Mitt Romney wouldn’t have come up with isn’t worth discussing or entertaining.
AGREE
Trump does not have a social filter on his brain. He thinks and says it. If he were in school today he would have a IEP for it. 🙂
The president thought “There’s something to be gotten in the state of Denmark. But the prime minister doth protest too much, methinks.”
The Left in America are like Portland Residents:
“I put blinders on a lot. Like tunnel vision. I choose not to acknowledge it.”
— Shannon, Portland resident
https://www.foxnews.com/us/portland-residents-tell-elected-officials-to-stop-talking-and-fix-homelessness-crisis
This was a backward way of doing things. The US last showed public interest in buying Greenland back in the 40’s. If there was a proposal to purchase land, then it should have been explored with Denmark directly, rather than commented on in social media. If he was truly interested in buying Greenland, then blowing up social media was a surefire way to scuttle the deal.
Besides, we should really deal with Puerto Rico before we add any new land. Puerto Rico should either be its own autonomous country, or a state. This twilight status needs to pick a direction.
So funny. You take another typically idiotic Trump distraction seriously.
Normally I would agree with you but I suspect that in this case the politicians in Denmark have one opinion on the matter while Danes [and the inhabitants of Greenland] may look at it differently. Trump has been very successful reaching around professional politicians to speak directly to the people. Many Danes may not have even known that selling that sinkhole for money was an option. Now they do. If I were a Dane I would be saying to my government, “What the hell is the matter with you? Sell that white elephant and put some money in our pockets.” Might happen.
Rachelle:
It’s apropos that you mention that. Here is a 1991 AP article on the historical interest in the US for buying Greenland which is not, as it turns out, absurd.
https://www.apnews.com/9d4a8021c3650800fdf6dd5903f68972
I think Greenland has about 50,000 people now. They might be interested, and it would have a strategic advantage for us.
It is unfortunate that this interest was leaked. It sabotaged discussions over the project. It was also unfortunate that the Danish PM mocked Trump over it ahead of her planned meeting with him. It is not diplomatic to insult a leader right before a meeting. Forwarding a meme with Trump Tower in Greenland captioned “I would not do this” did not help.
Karen, Thank you for the link to the article. It was on point and interesting.
Buying Greenland is not a bad idea and may happen yet. The locals might like the idea as well.
I agree that it was unwise and undiplomatic for the PM to give an insulting reply to the president. Macron has done it as well. I suppose it brings them praise at cocktail parties, but it does nothing to help their countries or their people.
Now they are stuck with a lot of pastry and champagne orders they will never use. That pleases me.
Other examples of land deals: Alaska and the Louisiana Purchase.
Once again, Trump sucked all the oxygen out of the room and dictated the headlines for days.
The MSM reacts to Trump initiatives instead of focusing on their agenda of attacks.
Another example of how the MSM still doesn’t “get it”.
A gigantic pile of used horse food is certainly distracting.
“good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells.”
― Donald J. Trump, Trump: The Art of the Deal
Highlighting this:
“This type of conduct is destroying our standing with the world.” -Jonathan Turley