US Secretary of State: Trump's Greenland purchase plan 'no joke'

Istanbul - United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that President Donald Trump's proposal to buy Greenland was not a joke, but a serious step in line with national interests.

"This is not a joke… This is not about acquiring territory. This is about our national interest and it has to be resolved," Rubio said in an interview with journalist Megyn Kelly on SiriusXM on Thursday (1/30).

Rubio explained that Trump plans to pursue the acquisition of Greenland, which is currently an autonomous territory under Denmark.

"President Trump has already expressed his intention, which is to buy Greenland," he added.

The top US diplomat acknowledged that discussing such proposals publicly was sensitive, and said negotiations would be better conducted through official diplomatic channels.

"Approaching something like that… should be done in the right forum," Rubio said. "Broaching it publicly just puts the other side in a difficult position domestically."

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 but is now a self-governing territory. The island has attracted Trump's attention because of its strategic location and abundant mineral resources.

Last week, the Financial Times reported that Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Trump had a tense 45-minute phone call on the Greenland issue, which has officials in Copenhagen deeply concerned.

Trump first raised the idea of ​​buying Greenland during his first term, but Denmark immediately rejected it.

However, Trump's return to the White House has raised concerns that he will push back efforts to take over the island.