Donald Trump postpones Denmark visit after PM's 'nasty' statement over Greenland sale
Video Report by ITV Security Editor Rohit Kachroo
Donald Trump has said he scrapped his trip to Denmark because the prime minister made a "nasty" statement when she rejected his idea to buy Greenland as "absurd".
"You don't talk to the United States that way, at least under me," the US President told reporters in Washington, just hours after axing the trip.
"I thought it was not a nice statement, the way she blew me off."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had called Mr Trump's suggestion to buy the semi-autonomous Danish territory "an absurd discussion" and said she was "disappointed and surprised" that Mr Trump had cancelled his visit.
Mr Trump added that what Ms Frederiksen said was an "inappropriate statement.
"All she had to say was say, 'No, we wouldn't be interested.'"
Despite Mr Trump's cancellation of the visit, Ms Frederiksen said "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 September 2-3 visit, adding "the United States is one of our closest allies".
Mr Trump recently floated the idea of purchasing the island but said as recently as Sunday that such a transaction was not a top priority.
The Danish Prime Minister said: "It is with regret and surprise that I received the news that President Trump has canceled his state visit to Denmark on the 2nd and 3rd of September.
"I had been looking forward to the visit. Our preparations were well underway. It was an opportunity, I think, to celebrate Denmark's close relationship to US."
She added that the idea of selling Greenland has "clearly been rejected by Kim Kielsen (Greenland Premier)" and that this is a position she shares.
"This does not change the character of our good relations and we will of course from Denmark continue our ongoing dialogue with the US on how we can develop our cooperation and deal with the many common challenges we are facing," she said.
A spokesperson for Denmark's royal palace said they too were "surprised" at the postponement.
Mr Trump tweeted that “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”.
Mr Trump said that he was interested in such a deal for strategic purposes on Sunday, but said a purchase was not a priority at this time.
“It’s not number 1 on the burner,” he told reporters.
The president even joked about his proposal as it came in for ridicule, tweeting a doctored photo of a glistening Trump skyscraper looming over a small village in the Arctic territory.
“I promise not to do this to Greenland,” he joked on Monday.
But in a tweet on Tuesday announcing the cancellation of the visit, Mr Trump wrote: “The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct.
"I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!”
The White House announced in late July that Mr Trump had accepted an invitation to visit Denmark’s Queen Margrethe and participate in a series of meetings, including with Ms Frederiksen and business leaders.
The trip, set to begin at the end of August, included a stop in Poland for Mr Trump to help commemorate the 80th anniversary of the start of the Second World War.
Mr Trump is expected to go ahead with the Poland portion of the trip.