COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The Latest on Donald Trump’s cancellation of his trip to Denmark (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she is standing behind by the government head of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory that U.S. President Donald Trump wanted to buy.
Speaking to reporters, Frederiksen said “a discussion about a potential sale of Greenland has been put forward. It has been rejected by Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen, and I fully stand behind that rejection.”
Frederiksen, who took office two months ago as Denmark’s second female head of state and the leader of the left-leaning Social Democratic Party, said relations between Copenhagen and Washington “are not in any crisis in my opinion” after Trump canceled his plans to visit Denmark following her rejection of the sale.
“I don’t believe that the cancellation should have any influence on other matters,” she said.
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3:10 p.m.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she is “disappointed and surprised” by U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to cancel his visit to Denmark after she rejected suggestions of selling Greenland to the U.S.
Frederiksen told reporters that “the invitation for a stronger strategic cooperation with the Americans in the Arctic is still open.”
She said that she had been looking forward to the Sept. 2-3 visit, adding “the United States is one of our closest allies.”
Trump announced his decision by tweet after Frederiksen dismissed the notion of selling Greenland to the U.S. as “an absurd discussion.”
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9:15 a.m.
A spokeswoman for Denmark’s royal palace says U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to postpone a visit to Denmark next month was “a surprise.”
Lene Balleby told The Associated Press Wednesday that the household, which formally had invited Trump to visit Denmark Sep. 2 and 3 as part of a European trip, had no further comments.
Trump announced his decision by tweet after the Danish prime minister dismissed the notion of selling Greenland to the U.S. as “an absurd discussion.”
“Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” Trump said.
There was no immediate reaction from the Danish government.