Mr. Trump: Greenland is not for sale

Trump's absurdity seems to have no limits. Feeling emboldened after invading Venezuela, he feels he can now swallow another country at his whim. His eyes are now fixated on Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, under the pretext that it is necessary for American national security. The irony is that Denmark is a NATO member state that includes the US, which is the leading power in NATO, whose mission is the collective security of Europe, including Greenland.

For Trump to even contemplate attacking another NATO member state is simply sheer madness. In fact, if any external power threatens Greenland, the US is obligated to come to its defense. Why, then, is it necessary to annex Greenland for security reasons? This is just another of Trump's blatantly outrageous lies.

The fact that this could unravel NATO altogether because of his recklessness is of no concern to Trump. All he wants is to seize Greenland's massive mineral deposits. From a Danish perspective, their relationship with the United States is the most important relationship. They feel betrayed by both the rhetoric and now the intended action of the Trump administration. The Danish people are extremely sad, and now they're also getting tremendously angry.

For the United States to threaten Denmark and take their land, especially with force, is beyond the pale. One must ask: what has become of the United States? This will have huge strategic consequences that will resonate extraordinarily negatively for America for decades to come.

The Danish people take pride in having stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US in the war in Afghanistan, and lost more people per capita during that war than any country in the world, with the exception of the United States. They have not asked for any preferential treatment; all they want is the truth and honesty.

What Trump wants, he cannot get through negotiations or buying the territory, which is not for sale-not now, not ever. Sadly, the Danes and, more importantly, Greenlanders themselves, are being totally ignored, which, for them, is heartbreaking as a friend and an ally of the US with a long, mutually beneficial, and trusting relationship.

It should be noted that Greenland is absolutely essential to NATO security because Russia can, indeed, use the Arctic to threaten the US and its allies. Thus, the US should maintain and expand its military presence in Greenland, and is not limited in the number of troops it can station there.

If Greenland is vital to US security, then there should be more US troops there. But Trump decided against that, even though Denmark would be happy to have them. He does not want to bother with legality. Instead, with crude, shameless audacity, he stated that if the US can't work out an easy arrangement over Greenland, "we're going to do it the hard way."

How tragic it is for America to have a president who cares less about anything but himself, flexing his muscles at every turn. Greenland is a country with a very small population of only 57,000 people, but its people have a deep culture with a proud history.

Trump's threat to take over Greenland by force is outrageous; it could unravel NATO and have ominous implications for the US's global standing.