Greenland to Trump: Thanks, but we’re not for sale

TASIILAQ, Greenland – The government of Greenland says that it’s happy President Donald Trump has taken an interest in the nation, talking to aides and allies about buying the island for the U.S., but that it’s not for sale.

Following reports that Trump had spoken about the notion of buying Greenland, the semiautonomous Danish territory between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans issued a short statement Friday to clarify it wasn’t on the market.

Lars Loekke Rasmussen, who served as Danish prime minister until June, tweeted “it must be an April Fool’s Day joke.”

A Trump ally told the Associated Press on Thursday that the Republican president had discussed the purchase but was not serious about it. And a Republican congressional aide said Trump brought up the notion of buying Greenland in conversations with American lawmakers enough times to make them wonder, but they have not taken his comments seriously.

Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.