Elon Musk’s remarks follow President-elect Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring the strategically important island.
Following President-elect Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk voiced his support for Greenland potentially joining the United States.
On Sunday, Musk tweeted: “If the people of Greenland wish to become part of the United States, which I hope they do, they would receive a warm welcome!” This statement followed a recent University of Copenhagen poll revealing that a majority of Greenlanders favor independence.
Musk’s comments came after Trump reiterated his support for acquiring the island, calling it an “absolute necessity” and a “national security” issue. Trump first proposed purchasing Greenland in 2019 during his first term, but the idea was ultimately rejected due to opposition from both Greenland and Denmark.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has dismissed the possibility of selling the island to the US, but stated on Friday that “we are open to discussions” with Trump. He emphasized that “we aspire to independence, to govern ourselves… This is something everyone should respect.”
Axios reported on Saturday, citing unnamed sources, that Denmark, a NATO ally of the US, has sent “private communications” to Trump indicating its willingness to discuss expanding the US military presence in Greenland.
The island, with a population of approximately 60,000, already hosts a US military base and plays a vital role in NATO’s defense strategy due to its strategic location, which allows control of crucial Arctic shipping lanes increasingly accessible due to climate change.
An autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979, Greenland has progressively sought greater self-governance. While possessing its own government, Denmark retains authority over foreign affairs and defense.
A 2019 poll showed that 67.8% of Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark within the next two decades.