Greenland's future must be determined by its people: Danish PM

OSLO - Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated on Tuesday that Greenland's future must be decided by its people, as renewed attention turned to the autonomous territory following a visit by Donald Trump Jr.

Frederiksen urged respect for Greenland's sovereignty in comments addressing aspirations for independence. "I sense a strong desire among many Greenlanders to move towards independence," she said. "It is legitimate, and that is why I believe Greenland's future must be decided in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland."

Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede echoed her stance in a Facebook post, responding to international reactions to Trump Jr.'s private visit. "Let me repeat this -- Greenland belongs to Greenlanders," Egede wrote. "Our future and our fight for independence are our matters. Danes, Americans, and others may have their opinions, but we must not get caught up in hysteria or blame others. Our future is ours to shape."

Trump Jr., the eldest son of US President-elect Donald Trump, visited Nuuk on Tuesday, describing the trip as a private tourism visit. "We are just here as tourists, to see it all," he told reporters, declining to comment on broader American interest in Greenland.

However, his father, Donald Trump, expressed a different tone when noting the visit on his social media platform Truth Social. "Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"

Trump's remarks rekindled memories of his earlier administration, during which he described purchasing Greenland as "absolutely necessary".

Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, gained home rule in 1979 and expanded self-government in 2009.