Biden Secretary of State said the US is not looking to buy Greenland after Trump floated the possibility in 2019

• Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the US doesn't want to buy Greenland.
• Blinken's confirmation came after Trump suggested purchasing the autonomous Danish territory in 2019.
• Danish PM Mette Frederiksen called such discussions "absurd" at the time.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed Thursday that the US is not pursuing the purchase of the Greenland after former President Donald Trump floated the possibility in 2019.

During a press conference in Greenland, Blinken said it was "correct" when a reporter asked if the US is not seeking to buy Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, and that his visit to the island was to strengthen diplomatic relations with "our Arctic partners, Greenland and Denmark."

Foreign Minister Pele Broberg echoed the sentiment, saying Blinken's visit is "not considered a real estate deal."

"A real estate deal means land with nothing on it, nobody on it," Broberg said. "Secretary Blinken has made it clear that he's here for the people living in the Arctic, for the people living in Greenland."

In 2019, Trump said he and one of his economic advisors had discussed the possibility of purchasing Greenland.

"Denmark essentially owns it. We're very good allies with Denmark, we protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world," Trump said at the time. "So the concept came up and I said, 'Certainly I'd be interested.'"

"Strategically it's interesting and we'd be interested but we'll talk to them a little bit. It's not No. 1 on the burner, I can tell you that," he continued, adding that the sale of the island is "essentially a large real estate deal."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the time that it was an "absurd discussion," saying that Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen "has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, and the discussion stops there."