In a significant diplomatic update, US Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery has announced that US President Donald Trump has ruled out the use of military force to take control of Greenland. The statement was made during the inauguration of a new, larger US consulate building in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.
Responding to an inquiry from the Greenlandic broadcaster KNR regarding whether the United States still sought to acquire the territory, Howery stated, "The president has taken the use of force off the table. The future of Greenland is something the Greenlanders themselves must decide."
This shift in rhetoric comes after President Trump had previously declined to rule out military action to gain control of the self-governing territory, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Despite the ambassador's reassuring words, the atmosphere in Nuuk remained tense. The consulate's opening ceremony was marked by a notable absence of high-level officials. Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Naaja H. Nathanielsen, the region's representative in the Danish parliament, both declined invitations to the reception. Additionally, no officials from the Danish government were present at the event.
The diplomatic strain was echoed by the local population. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the new consulate site, chanting "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders" to express their opposition and dissatisfaction with the prospect of US intervention.
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Trump rules out use of force to take Greenland: US ambassador
cgtn.com
