Donald Trump is not used to being told no, he’s not used to being told anything he says is silly, and he is certainly not used to being told, “No, that’s a silly idea.” And yet the world looked on bemused as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trump’s offer to purchase the world’s largest island from the nation of Denmark “absurd.” Trump had punctuated the offer with a tweet “promising” not to build a Trump Tower there once it was in US hands.
To say the least, he was offended, and abruptly canceled a state visit he had planned to Denmark at the beginning of September, during which our two nations were supposed to discuss developments in the Arctic and the Faroe Islands — you know, world leader stuff.
In a huffy rant on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump told reporters:
I thought it was an inappropriate statement. All she had to do is say no, we wouldn’t be interested. I thought it was a very not nice way of saying something. They could have told me no. All they had to do is say, no, we would rather not do that or we would rather not talk about it. Don’t say what an absurd idea that is. She’s not talking to me. She’s talking to the United States of America. You don’t talk to the United States that way. At least under me.
Greenland was just an idea. Just a thought. But I think when they say it was absurd and it was said in a very nasty, very sarcastic way.”
AÂ very not nice way of saying something is certainly one way to say it.
Fortunately, there is still an adult in the room, and PM Frederiksen actually went out of her way to treat the President’s sudden, acute case of butthurt as gingerly as she could without laughing directly into the cameras as she stepped out of a car in Copenhagen:
It is with regret and surprise that I received the news that President Trump has canceled his state visit to Denmark on the 2nd and 3rd of September. I had been looking forward to the visit, our preparations were well underway … A discussion has, however, been raised about a potential sale of Greenland. This has clearly been rejected by Kim Kielsen [the PM of Greenland], a position that I share, of course. This does not change the character of our good relations and we will, of course, from Denmark, continue our ongoing dialogue with the US.”
Personally, I love that Trump resorted to petulance, especially since it was a woman who, rightly, told him his idea WAS absurd. It speaks to the character of a man whose true character must be seen by more people if we’re ever going to rid this nation of leaders like him.
Featured image via screen capture
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