Danish politician Anders Vistisen did not hold back when he issued a public message to U.S. President Donald Trump this week over his pitch to make Greenland part of the United States.
“Dear President Trump, listen very carefully,” Vistisen said on Tuesday in European Parliament. “Greenland has been part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years. It’s an integrated part of our country. It is not for sale.”
Vistisen went on to use some profanity that got him in trouble with the rest of the European Parliament.
“Let me put it in words you might understand,” he said. “Mr. Trump, f–k off!”
Nicolae Stefanuta, vice-president of the European Parliament, jumped in and told Vistisen that language was not acceptable.
“If the translation was correct, the term you used is not allowed in this house and there will be consequences to the message you have used,” Stefanuta said. “It is not OK in this house of democracy. Thank you. Regardless of what we think of Mr. Trump, it is not possible to use such language.”
Vistisen doubled down on his statement and posted his message on X, writing, “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland has been part of Denmark for 800 years, more then double of the time the US has existed. Any true patriot should understand that this is an unacceptable attack on national sovereignty!”
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He later claimed that the European Parliament has threatened to fine him for his use of profanity.
“Fines if you tell the truth about foreigners and crime! Fines if you tell the truth about the Greenlanders! Fines if you tell the truth to Trump!” he wrote on X.
Trump was asked about Greenland by reporters after he took office on Monday. “Greenland is a wonderful place, we need it for international security,” Trump responded. “I’m sure that Denmark will come along — it’s costing them a lot of money to maintain it, to keep it.”
On Tuesday, Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute B Egede addressed Trump’s comments about the territory.
“We are Greenlanders. We don’t want to be Americans. We don’t want to be Danish either. Greenland’s future will be decided by Greenland. Our country and our people will decide what happens to Greenland.”
Earlier this month, Trump said he wouldn’t rule out using force or economic pressure to make Greenland — a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark — part of the United States. Trump said it was a matter of national security for the U.S.
“We need Greenland for national security purposes,” Trump told reporters on Jan. 7.
Greenland, home to a large U.S. military base, is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally and a founding member of NATO. Trump cast doubts on the legitimacy of Denmark’s claim to Greenland.
Addressing Trump’s comments in an interview with Danish broadcaster TV2, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the United States Denmark’s “most important and closest ally,” and said she did not believe that the United States would use military or economic power to secure control over Greenland.
Frederiksen repeated that she welcomed the United States taking a greater interest in the Arctic region, but that it would “have to be done in a way that is respectful of the Greenlandic people,” she said.
“At the same time, it must be done in a way that allows Denmark and the United States to still co-operate in, among other things, NATO,” Frederiksen said.
Trump initially voiced his interest in Greenland in 2019 during his first term in office. He said Greenland was “hurting Denmark very badly” and costing it $700 million a year. His solution was to have the United States acquire Greenland, calling it “a large real estate deal.”
—With files from The Associated Press
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