Trump won't rule out military action to take control of Greenland as son visits

President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday wouldn't rule out exercising military or economic coercion to further his goal of bringing both Greenland and the Panama Canal under U.S. control, as his son, Donald Trump Jr., is in Greenland amid Trump's push to acquire the autonomous territory of Denmark. 

"I can't assure you, you're talking about Panama and Greenland," Trump told reporters during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. "No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But I can say this — we need them for economic security."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected Trump's designs on Greenland but said she'd continue to welcome American interest and investment, in light of Trump Jr.'s visit.

"I, of course, hope that Trump Jr. will have the opportunity to see Greenland and visit the magnificent country," Frederiksen said in a TV interview Tuesday. "But it is also important to hold fast that the future of Greenland is defined by the Greenlanders, not by the rest of us."

"It is their country that we are talking about here, and it is Greenland that, in my eyes, can determine and define Greenland's future," she said. Frederiksen still considers the U.S. a valuable ally as Moscow and Beijing increase their cooperation.

"I would much rather have American investment and American interest than I want Russian or Chinese," she said. "On the other hand, I would like to encourage everyone to respect that the Greenlanders are a people, they are a population," Frederiksen said. "It is their country that is at stake here."

Trump Jr. arrived Tuesday in Greenland on his father's "Trump Force One" plane, weeks after his father again expressed a desire for the U.S. to gain control of the autonomous Danish territory. The visit comes just a day after Trump suggested the people of the vast region were "MAGA," in a post on social media.

"Just here as tourists," Trump Jr. told journalists as he walked into the airport in Greenland's capital city of Nuuk on Tuesday. "We've been talking about going for a while. I was actually supposed to be here last spring for some of the stuff I do in my free time, but just really excited to be here. Awesome country."

He was quickly asked about his father, who's stated a desire to make Greenland part of the U.S., but he replied only to say that the soon to be second-term president, "says hello." 

"We were talking to him yesterday, so he says hello to everyone in Greenland," said Trump Jr.

Greenland, which has a population of only about 57,000, is a semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. It has oil, natural gas and mineral resources, but its economy is reliant on subsidies from Denmark and from fishing.

Still, Trump on Tuesday expressed doubt about Denmark's control of Greenland, despite Greenland's status as an autonomous territory. 

"Nobody even knows if they have any right, title or interest," Trump said, inaccurately, of Denmark and Greenland. 

"The visit of Donald Trump Jr. is a private visit and that is being respected by Naalakkersuisut — the Government of Greenland. Therefore, there will also not be reactions to the visit," Mininnguaq Kleist, Greenland's permanent secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CBS News ahead of his arrival on Tuesday. "Our country is open for visits, and visitors are welcome in our beautiful country."

Reuters, citing a source familiar with the trip, said Trump Jr. was planning to shoot content for a podcast, and that he would only be visiting for one day.  

On Monday, President-elect Trump said in a social media post that he was, "hearing that the people of Greenland are 'MAGA.' My son, Don Jr, and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights. Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"

Trump had expressed interest in buying Greenland during his first term in office, though the idea was quickly rebuffed by Danish authorities. 

Two weeks ago, Trump said on social media that, "for purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."

Greenland's government has twice rebuffed assertions of interest in the territory by Trump, with Prime Minister Mute Egede saying just before Christmas that "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale."

Last week, Egede gave a New Year's speech pushing for Greenland to remove "the shackles of colonialism" and gain full independence from Denmark. 

"It is about time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, also with regard to who we will cooperate closely with, and who our trading partners will be," Egede said.

One Greenlandic lawmaker in Denmark's parliament, Aaja Chemnitz, said Trump's interest should be dismissed, Reuters reported.

"I don't want to be a pawn in Trump's hot dreams of expanding his empire to include our country," Chemnitz said.