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Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Kenneth Howery, co-founder of the online payment service PayPal, as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark and reiterated his wish for Greenland to come under Washington’s control.
Trump expressed this desire on the social media platform Truth Social.
When appointing Howery, Trump noted that during his first term, Howery served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sweden. Trump highlighted Howery’s experience as a co-founder of PayPal and the venture capital firm Founders Fund, stating that he transformed American innovation and technological leadership into global success stories, a background that will be invaluable in representing U.S. interests abroad.
“To ensure national security and freedom worldwide, the United States considers owning and controlling Greenland an absolute necessity. Ken will do an excellent job representing U.S. interests,” Trump wrote.
According to Axios, the U.S. government has explored purchasing Greenland multiple times since 1867.
Greenland, though geographically part of North America, maintains close geopolitical ties to Europe and receives funding from the EU. It has been an autonomous overseas territory of Denmark since 1979.
The island provides direct access to the Arctic, a region of ongoing competition for resources. Greenland is believed to hold deposits of gold, silver, copper, and uranium, with significant potential for offshore oil extraction, according to geologists.
In recent years, Russia has also sought to claim territories adjacent to Greenland’s exclusive economic zone.
In 2019, Trump floated the idea of buying Greenland, which sparked backlash from Danish politicians across the political spectrum, who insisted that the idea was absurd. While some in Trump’s circle confirmed he had mentioned purchasing Greenland, they emphasized that he was not serious about the proposition.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Greenland subsequently stated that the island is not for sale.
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