Trump Doubles Down on US Claims to Greenland as Territory’s Leaders Lambast US Delegation Trip

The star-spangled-banner flies in front of the consulate of the United States in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
The star-spangled-banner flies in front of the consulate of the United States in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
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Trump Doubles Down on US Claims to Greenland as Territory’s Leaders Lambast US Delegation Trip

The star-spangled-banner flies in front of the consulate of the United States in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)
The star-spangled-banner flies in front of the consulate of the United States in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 24, 2025. (AFP)

President Donald Trump on Monday doubled down on his suggestion that the US should take over Greenland as leaders from the semi-autonomous Danish territory criticized a planned trip there this week by a high-profile US delegation.

"I think Greenland is going to be something that maybe is in our future," Trump told reporters after a meeting with officials in his Cabinet, saying it was important for US national security.

Greenland's outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede called plans by the US delegation to visit an American military base and attend a dog sled race a "provocation" and said his caretaker government would not meet with the group.

Trump said his administration was working with "people in Greenland" who want something to happen, but did not elaborate.

"They're calling us," he said. "We're not calling them."

The US visit, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, will be led by Usha Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, and include White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Trump has made US annexation of Greenland a major talking point since his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a private visit to the vast, mineral-rich island in January.

"Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely," Egede told local newspaper Sermitsiaq. "But that time is over."

Naalakkersuisut, the Greenlandic government, is now in a caretaker phase following a March 11 parliamentary election won by the Democrats, a pro-business party that favors a slow approach to independence from Denmark.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats, called for political unity and criticized the timing of the US visit during coalition talks with municipal elections due next week.

"We must not be forced into a power game that we ourselves have not chosen to be a part of," Nielsen said on Monday.

Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said the visit aimed to "build on partnerships that respect Greenland's self-determination and advance economic cooperation".

"This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people and to attend a dogsled race the United States is proud to sponsor, plain and simple," Hughes said.

HEAVY SECURITY

Two US Hercules military transport planes arrived in Greenland's capital Nuuk late on Sunday, carrying security personnel and bulletproof vehicles, Greenlandic online news outlet Sermitsiaq reported.

Around 60 police officers from Denmark also arrived in Nuuk on Sunday, state broadcaster KNR reported.

Waltz and Wright plan to visit the Pituffik space base, the US military base located along the shortest route from Europe to North America, vital for its ballistic missile warning system.

They will then join Vance to visit historical sites and attend the national dog sled race.

Vance said in a video posted by the US consulate in Greenland that her visit was meant to "celebrate the long history of mutual respect and cooperation between our nations".

Trump, who first floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, has renewed his calls for the US to take over the island since his return to the White House in January, and he has not ruled out using force to achieve this objective.

Greenland is rich in raw materials, including minerals critical to advance new technologies.

The governments of both Greenland and Denmark have voiced opposition to any US takeover.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a written comment reacting to news of the US delegation's visit that "this is something we take seriously".

She said Denmark wanted cooperation with the United States, a NATO ally, but on the basis of "the fundamental rules of sovereignty", adding that Copenhagen and Greenland's future government would both be involved in any talks with the US regarding the island.



Iran FM Araghchi Arrives in Oman Ahead of Nuclear Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
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Iran FM Araghchi Arrives in Oman Ahead of Nuclear Talks with US

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives ahead of negotiations with the US, in Muscat, Oman, April 25, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuters

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman on Friday ahead of fresh nuclear talks with the United States, after both sides said progress had been made in previous rounds.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X that "Araghchi and his accompanying delegation arrived in Muscat for the third round of Iran-US talks".

Iran's Mehr news agency released a brief video showing the foreign minister disembarking from an Iranian government plane in Muscat.

Baqaei said Araghchi would be leading the delegation of diplomats and technical experts in the indirect discussions with the US side.

US President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will represent the United States in the talks.

The latest round will include expert-level talks on Iran's nuclear program, with Michael Anton, who serves as the State Department's head of policy planning, leading the technical discussions on the US side, the department said.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that deputy foreign ministers Kazem Gharibabadi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi will lead the Iranian technical team.

Baqaei wrote on X that Iran's delegation is "resolved to secure our nation's legitimate and lawful right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes while taking reasonable steps to demonstrate that our program is entirely peaceful".

"Termination of unlawful and inhumane sanctions in an objective and speedy manner is a priority that we seek to achieve," he added.

According to Baqaei, the dialogue will again be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Saturday morning.

The meeting follows two earlier rounds of Omani-mediated negotiations in Muscat and Rome starting on April 12.

- Calling for 'goodwill' -

Since his return to office in January, Trump has reimposed sweeping sanctions under his policy of "maximum pressure" against Tehran.

In March, he sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei calling for talks but warning of possible military action if they failed to produce a deal.

Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its program is for peaceful civilian purposes.

Baqaei earlier Friday said "progress in the negotiations requires the demonstration of goodwill, seriousness, and realism by the other side".

Iran will treat Saturday's talks seriously, Araghchi said in a recent interview, "and if the other party also enters seriously, there is potential for progress".

In 2018, Trump withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal signed three years earlier between Tehran and major world powers. The agreement eased sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

After Trump's pullout, Tehran complied with the agreement for a year before scaling back its compliance.

Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit in the 2015 deal but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material.

In an interview published by Time Magazine on Friday, Trump said the United States will "lead the pack" in attacking Iran if nuclear talks do not lead to a new deal.

But he expressed hope that an agreement could be reached and said he would be willing to meet Khamenei.