Donald Trump got his feelings hurt when Denmark's Prime Minister told him Greenland wasn't for sale, and now we have a full-blown international incident on our hands with yet another European ally.
President Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, saying the leader of the U.S. ally had made “nasty” comments about his interest in having the United States purchase Greenland.
Trump announced Tuesday night that he was calling off a planned two-day state visit to Copenhagen early next month over Frederiksen’s refusal to entertain the sale of Greenland, a self-governing country that is part of the kingdom of Denmark.
Frederiksen told reporters Wednesday she was surprised by Trump’s change in plans and also lamented the missed opportunity to celebrate the historical alliance between Denmark and the United States, saying preparations for the visit had been “well underway.”
Frederiksen called the idea of the sale of Greenland “absurd” over the weekend after news broke of Trump’s interest — a characterization that apparently offended him.
“I thought it was not a nice statement, the way she blew me off,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday. “She shouldn’t treat the United States that way. . . . She said ‘absurd.’ That’s not the right word to use.”
Trump’s comment came during a rambling, 35-minute back-and-forth with reporters outside the White House, where he reversed his position on some issues facing his administration while also reiterating comments that have already sparked several rounds of controversy this week.
Trump's put a year's worth of chaos into one week, and it's only Thursday morning.
The president defended his trade war with China despite worries that his tariffs have become a drag on the economy while chastising his predecessors for not taking a tougher line with Beijing.
“Somebody had to do it,” he said before looking skyward and proclaiming: “I am the chosen one.”
He said he still wants to end birthright citizenship through an executive order — an idea that was dismissed by most legal experts as unconstitutional when he floated it late last year — while also disputing reports that he is backing away from a plan to expand background checks following recent mass shootings.
Trump denied he is considering a payroll tax cut to head off a recession, arguing that there is no need to do so even after he confirmed it was under consideration the previous day.
He intensified his criticism of Jewish voters who support Democrats, calling them “very disloyal to Israel.”
And Trump continued to serve as the loudest cheerleader for his own record, while dismissing any criticism of his actions or rhetoric.
“I was put here by people to do a great job, and that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “And nobody’s done a job like I’ve done.”
It's exhausting, all of it.
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