Donald Trump wants to make Greenland the 51st state of America - but is it possible?

Greenland’s PM has slammed Donald Trump’s plan to annex the island nation. See why he’s interested in the Denmark territory and if it’s even possible.

Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister Mute Eged said he would convene a meeting of party leaders to jointly reject US President Donald Trump’s vow to take over the island, warning that “Enough is enough.”

“This time we need to toughen our rejection of Trump. People cannot continue to disrespect us,” Egede wrote on Facebook, after Trump earlier reiterated his desire to annex the autonomous Danish territory.

Egede continues to lead Greenland while awaiting the formation of a new government following his party’s defeat in elections on Tuesday.

“The American president has once again evoked the idea of annexing us. I absolutely cannot accept that,” he wrote.

“I respect the result of the election, but I consider that I have an obligation as interim head of government: I have therefore asked the administration to summon the party heads as soon as possible.”

Mr Trump has repeated claims that the US will annex Greenland, ignoring Danish protests and NATO threats.

The US President reignited the plan during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the Oval Office.

“I think that it will happen,” he told reporters at the White House while hosting a meeting with Rutte.

“I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental.”

“You know Mark, we need that for international security, not just security, international,” Trump said, addressing the former Dutch Prime Minister directly.

“We have a lot of our favourite players cruising around the coast and we have to be careful and we will be talking to you.”

Greenland, a territory of Denmark but geographically a part of North America, has been a recent topic for the American president. Along with calling Canada the 51st state, fears of American expansion are becoming more real.

But is it possible?

CAN TRUMP BUY GREENLAND?

Charles Miller, a senior lecturer in the Australian National University’s School of Politics and International Relations said technically if Greenlanders wanted the US to buy the country and the Danish wanted to sell, Trump could purchase it.

But the reality is that many Greenlanders do not want to be under Trump’s control.

“In theory, yes. In practice, no,” Dr Miller said.

Dr Miller said the sudden interest in Greenland is due to the Arctic.

“It’s related to Greenland’s natural resources, and the fact that Greenland has a number of military bases,” he said.

“As climate change accelerates, and the Arctic becomes more accessible for shipping, and possibly the economic importance of Greenland might increase over that as well.”

American interest in Greenland is not new where Mr Trump in his first term, suggested buying the country in 2019.

GREENLAND TURNING AWAY FROM AMERICA

Greenland’s election this week saw the country heading away from America.

High voter turnout propelled the Demokraatit Party in a surprise upset win. That party favours gradual independence from Denmark.

Earlier this week, party leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen told Sky News he wanted the vote to send a clear message to Trump that “we are not for sale”.

“We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders,” he said.

“And we want our own independence in the future. And we want to build our own country by ourselves, not with his hope”.

Greenland, which has its own independence movement, does not seem to be interested in American ownership. The most pro-American party, Qulleq, did not even gain a seat in parliament.

Yet, in campaign documents, the Demokraatit Party said they would be interested in talking to the US on commercial interests.

Donald Trump said the US will get Greenland one way or the other. Picture: AP / J. Scott Applewhite

TRUMP’S INTEREST IN GREENLAND NOT NEW

American interest in Greenland is not new, especially for Trump. During his first term, Trump suggested buying Greenland in 2019. Now, he’s taking it more seriously.

Political commentators say that in an effort to ‘Make America Great Again’, Trump wants to go back to days of expansionist presidents – such as his favourite former US President William McKinley, who was leader at the end of the 19th century.

“Trump believes the policies of McKinley and other American presidents at that time who followed similar policies of tariffs and territorial expansion are what made America great in the first place,” Dr Miller said.

“If you return to those policies, then America will become great again”.

McKinley annexed Hawaii in 1898 despite the Hawaiian monarch refusing to give up her throne. And Alaska was purchased from Russia for US$7.2 million in 1868. But it wasn’t until 1959 when they both became states.

Washington DC and Puerto Rico are both actively vying for US statehood – but both are currently at a stalemate as such moves require both congressional and presidential approval.

With all of the interest in Greenland, United Airlines announced a direct flight from Newark Airport in New Jersey to Nuuk, Greenland in June. Twice a week, Americans will be able to take a quick four hour flight to Greenland.