Trump Shares His Thoughts on Trying to Buy Greenland

The report that President Trump was toying with the idea of trying to buy Greenland was confirmed as fact, not fiction, by White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Sunday. Then, straight from the horse's mouth: The Guardian reports Trump on Sunday told reporters "the concept came up," and that while "it's not No. 1 on the burner ... we'd be interested." He continued, "Essentially it's a large real estate deal. A lot of things can be done." He went on to say Denmark is racking up losses of $700 million annually by "carrying" the island. "We're a big ally of Denmark," Trump said. "We protect Denmark and we help Denmark and we will." But Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was firm about the idea being a non-starter in comments made from Greenland on Sunday during a previously scheduled trip, reports the AP.

"Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic. I persistently hope that this is not something that is seriously meant," Frederiksen said. "Thankfully, the time where you buy and sell other countries and populations is over. Let's leave it there." The Wall Street Journal, which broke the story on Thursday, spoke with Greenlanders about Trump's interest. The golf club president who oversees a 9-hole course in the capital of Nuuk suggested Trump first play a round so that the reality can sink in: Eight months a year the course is buried beneath snow, and getting from hole to hole means "scrambl[ing] over crags and stomp[ing] on wild berries," per the Journal. "He would find it very hard," Daniel Thorleifsen concludes. Trump is slated to be in Denmark on Sept. 2 and 3 during a European trip.

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