WASHINGTON — White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow didn’t pour any cold water Sunday on President Trump’s flirtation with buying Greenland.
“I don’t want to predict an outcome, I’m just saying the president, who knows a thing or two about buying real estate, wants to take a look at a Greenland purchase,” Kudlow told Dana Perino on “Fox News Sunday.”
Kudlow called the situation “developing” and recalled how President Harry Truman had also wanted to purchase Greenland.
“And Denmark owns Greenland, Denmark is an ally, Greenland is a strategic place, up there. And they’ve got a lot of valuable minerals,” Kudlow added.
On Friday, the Wall Street Journal first reported that the idea of purchasing Greenland “has captured the former real-estate developer’s imagination.”
Trump had repeatedly expressed interest in buying the world’s largest island — but in Greenland and in Denmark, the report was greeted frigidly.
“Greenland is not for sale and cannot be sold, but Greenland is open for trade and cooperation with other countries – including the United States,” said Greenland’s Prime Minister Kim Kielsen, according to the Ritzau news agency.
Lars Lokke Rasmussen, a former Danish prime minister and an opposition leader tweeted, “It must be an April Fool’s Day joke … but totally out of [season]!”
But it wasn’t a joke, confirmed Kudlow, who told Perino she could join him on a fact-finding mission. “I can make that happen,” Kudlow told the former White House press secretary and Fox News Channel host.
During their sit-down, Kudlow also said he was optimistic about the economy.
“First of all, I don’t see a recession at all,” Kudlow said. He said Americans are spending money, but also saving. “That’s about as good as it gets,” he explained.
He also said Americans “should not be afraid of optimism.”
“What’s wrong with a little optimism?” Kudlow asked.
