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.
Denmark owns Greenland. Trump recently floated the idea of buying the island but said as recently as Sunday it wasn't a priority.
Denmark had called the idea "absurd."
Trump tweeted Tuesday 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."
White House spokesman Judd Deere says Trump's visit to Denmark has been canceled.
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President Trump defends his decision to cancel Denmark visit because the country refused to sell Greenland, and says the Danish prime minister "blew me off" https://t.co/lFxwwGz5b0 pic.twitter.com/BhH220SueR
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 21, 2019
