Denmark says it's absurd to sell the world's largest island in the United States

Greenland is not for sale and the idea of ​​selling it in the United States is absurd, the Danish Prime Minister said Sunday after an economic adviser to President Donald Trump confirmed the US interest in to acquire the largest island in the world.

"Greenland is not for sale, Greenland is not Danish, Greenland is Greenland, and I strongly hope it is not serious," said Prime Minister Greenland. Danish Minister Mette Frederiksen at the Sermitsiaq newspaper during a visit to Greenland.

Trump is due to travel to Copenhagen early next month, when the Arctic will be on the agenda of his meeting with Frederiksen and Prime Minister Kim Kielsen of Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told the media on Sunday that earlier this week Trump had privately discussed with his advisers the purchase of Greenland.

"I do not want to predict a result, I'm just saying that the president, who knows things well about buying a property, wants to take a look at a Greenland purchase" Kudlow told Fox News.

Kudlow said the situation was "evolving" and noted that US President Harry Truman had also wanted to buy Greenland.

"And Denmark has Greenland, Denmark is an ally, Greenland is a strategic place up there, and they have a lot of precious minerals," added Kudlow.

A 1951 Danish-US Defense Treaty gives the United States military rights over the Thule Air Base in northern Greenland.

Greenland, located between the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, depends on Danish economic support. It manages its own internal affairs while Copenhagen deals with defense and foreign policy.

"It's an absurd discussion, and Kim Kielsen has of course made it clear that Greenland was not for sale – it's there that the conversation ends," Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster DR.

On Friday, Greenland Foreign Minister Ane Lone Bagger told Reuters: "We are open to business, but we are not for sale."