"Trump, who talked up his tariff-based negotiation strategy, cited Greenland's strategic position between the U.S., Russia and China as the main reason he wants to acquire the territory. Retelling the United States' history with Greenland and Denmark, Trump said that during World War II, "We saved Greenland and successfully prevented our enemies from gaining a foothold in our hemisphere." This much is accurate: After Germany invaded Denmark, the U.S. assumed responsibility for Greenland's defense."
"But Trump overstepped when he said that after World War II, "We gave Greenland back to Denmark." "All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland, where we already had it as a trustee, but respectfully returned it back to Denmark not long ago," Trump said. Although the U.S. defended Greenland during World War II, it never possessed the nation - and could not have given it back."
"Denmark's colonization of Greenland dates to the 1720s. In 1933, an international court settled a territorial dispute between Denmark and Norway, ruling that as of July 1931, Denmark "possessed a valid title to the sovereignty over all Greenland." After the 1945 approval of the United Nations charter - the organization's founding document and the foundation of much of international law - Denmark incorporated Greenland through a constitutional amendment and gave it representation in the Danish Parliament in 1953."
President Trump proposed acquiring Greenland, citing its strategic position between the U.S., Russia and China and discussing tariff-based negotiation options. He claimed the United States defended Greenland in World War II and later returned it to Denmark. Historical record shows the United States assumed responsibility for Greenland's defense during World War II but never possessed sovereignty and therefore could not have returned it. Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland dates to colonization in the 1720s, a 1933 international court ruling affirmed Danish title, and Denmark incorporated Greenland into its constitution in 1953 with representation in the Danish Parliament.
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