Donald Trump has dispatched his eldest son Donald Trump Jr on a visit to Greenland as the president-elect continues to express an interest in acquiring the autonomous Arctic territory from Denmark.
The incoming commander-in-chief first trailed the visit on his Truth Social platform on Monday evening by posting: “I am hearing that the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA’.
“My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights.
“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”
He followed that up on Tuesday morning with another post featuring a video of his private plane landing in the capital Nuuk that read: “Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great.
“They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”
Don Jr himself soon posted a video of himself there on Instagram, posing beneath a statue of the Lutheran missionary Hans Egede who is credited with first settling the barren territory in 1721 before spinning his phone camera around to showcase the “incredible scenery”.
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk also turned out to be among Don Jr’s entourage and posted a picture of themselves together on the same platform.
Don Jr described the fly-in visit as a “personal day-trip” to greet the locals and said no meetings were planned with government officials.
His appearance has already inspired anger in Copenhagen, however, with Danish MP Rasmus Jarlov writing on X: “This level of disrespect from the coming US president towards very, very loyal allies and friends is record-setting.”
Although it is still two weeks before Trump is even inaugurated as America’s next president, he is already clearly looking ahead to his next administration and the prospect of landing a major legacy achievement like expanding the geographic reach of the United States.
He previously expressed an interest in buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term, even posting a meme imaging a Trump International Hotel towering above its chilly landscape, only to be rebuffed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who remains in power and appears unlikely to have changed her mind about the prospect in the interim.
Trump was infuriated by that rejection and began insisting again last month that the US needs the land for national security reasons, hoping to make it the first terrain the United States has bought since it acquired the Virgin Islands, also from Denmark, at great expense in 1917.
“We are not for sale,” the island’s prime minister Mute Egede reiterated in December.
“Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.”
Undeterred, the president-elect has also talked about “merging” the US with Canada in recent days, capitalizing on the political instability caused by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation this week to post on Truth Social on Monday: “Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State.
“The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned.
“If Canada merged with the US, there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”
