Trump said the US will ‘get’ Greenland. Greenlanders aren’t impressed.

President Donald Trump had a special message Tuesday night for the “incredible people of Greenland,” whose island he has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring — through a purchase or by force.

“We strongly support your right to determine your own future,” he said, briefly pausing during a speech to Congress to address Greenlanders directly. Then, with a confident nod, he added, “We will make you rich.”

Some members of Congress responded with a mix of applause, murmurs — and a few smiles. Greenlanders weren’t so enthused.

“It is up to us whether we become rich,” said Pele Broberg, the leader of one of Greenland’s major political parties.

Trump has been talking about acquiring Greenland, a large island in the Arctic Ocean, since his first term, but this was the first time he addressed the island’s 56,000 residents so directly and prominently.

“It’s a very small population but very, very large piece of land and very, very important for military security,” he told lawmakers.

And, he added, “I think we’re going to get it — one way or the other, we’re going to get it.”

Trump’s comments — and his open desire to obtain Greenland — come just as the island is weighing an unrelated decision about its own sovereignty. Denmark colonized Greenland 300 years ago, and while it has devolved some authority to the island over the past half century, it still controls key aspects of the island’s governance.

Next week, Greenlanders will vote in a parliamentary election that could be one of the most decisive in their history. Several leading Greenlandic politicians have openly called for independence, but the pace — and even the certainty — of that process will depend on the election’s outcome. Some parties are pushing for swift action, while others support a more gradual approach or not severing ties with Denmark at all.

“It’s just completely wild,” said Nino Bronlund, a student teacher, about Trump’s claim that America would “get” Greenland.

“It’s only about money and security,” he said, speaking as he was walking to school in the capital, Nuuk. “I don’t like it.”

Anne-Katrine Nielsen, a senior assistant at Greenland’s police force, said she was also shocked by Trump’s speech.

“He doesn’t care about the people,” she said. “He is only after our uranium, our mines and our strategic location in the world. We are right in the middle of everything, so I believe that’s what he wants.”