Trump cancels Denmark visit amid spat over sale of Greenland
World News
US President Donald Trump has cancelled a state visit to Denmark after the nation's prime minister said Greenland was not for sale to the US.
The president was scheduled to visit on 2 September, at the invitation of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II.
Then last week Mr Trump suggested the US was interested in buying Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen described the suggestion as "absurd" and said she hoped Mr Trump was not being serious.
Ms Frederiksen is due to give a statement later on Wednesday.
How did we get here?
While praising Denmark as a "very special country", Mr Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that his planned visit would no longer go ahead because Ms Frederiksen had "no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland".
The cancellation was confirmed by a White House spokesman.
The Danish royal house also confirmed it had been informed of the cancellation. The house's head of communications, Lene Balleby, told the BBC "it was definitely a surprise".
Just hours before Mr Trump announced the cancellation, the US ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, tweeted: "Denmark is ready for the POTUS @realDonaldTrump visit! Partner, ally, friend."
Mr Trump had earlier confirmed reports that he was interested in buying Greenland. When asked on Sunday if he would consider trading a US territory for the island, he replied: "Well, a lot of things could be done."
"Essentially it's a large real estate deal," he said. Then, on Monday, the US president posted an image on social media showing a tall golden skyscraper among the homes of a small village on the island.
Source: BBC
The president was scheduled to visit on 2 September, at the invitation of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II.
Then last week Mr Trump suggested the US was interested in buying Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen described the suggestion as "absurd" and said she hoped Mr Trump was not being serious.
Ms Frederiksen is due to give a statement later on Wednesday.
How did we get here?
While praising Denmark as a "very special country", Mr Trump said in a tweet on Tuesday that his planned visit would no longer go ahead because Ms Frederiksen had "no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland".
The cancellation was confirmed by a White House spokesman.
The Danish royal house also confirmed it had been informed of the cancellation. The house's head of communications, Lene Balleby, told the BBC "it was definitely a surprise".
Just hours before Mr Trump announced the cancellation, the US ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, tweeted: "Denmark is ready for the POTUS @realDonaldTrump visit! Partner, ally, friend."
Mr Trump had earlier confirmed reports that he was interested in buying Greenland. When asked on Sunday if he would consider trading a US territory for the island, he replied: "Well, a lot of things could be done."
"Essentially it's a large real estate deal," he said. Then, on Monday, the US president posted an image on social media showing a tall golden skyscraper among the homes of a small village on the island.
Source: BBC
Source: Laud Nartey
Trending News
Zoomlion Ghana Limited donates to support 8-year-old Leukemia patient
18:49BIGRS supports AMA with road traffic management equipment to reduce crashes
11:50National chief Imam loses wife
12:20NHIS: Limited rollout of biometric membership authentication system satisfactory
14:09State Prosecutor runs from Opuni-Agongo charge sheet
11:52NDC tackles CJ over alleged case scheduling bias
11:42ECG publishes dumsor areas in Accra
13:12Kakraba D/A Basic School: Students urged to take education seriously – Our Desiree NGO
13:45Alan meets with TUC’s steering committee
10:57Dgitalisation the way to go: Bawumia to GRA
11:19