The eldest son of President-elect arrived in Greenland on Tuesday for a private visit that heightened speculation that the incoming U.S. administration could seek to take control of the mineral-rich Danish territory thatB次元官网网址檚 home to a large U.S. military base.

The Danish state broadcaster reported that Donald Trump Jr.B次元官网网址檚 plane landed in Nuuk, capital of the vast and icy Arctic territory that has some 57,000 residents. Local media broadcast footage of him walking across a snowy tarmac.

In a statement, GreenlandB次元官网网址檚 government said Trump Jr.B次元官网网址檚 visit would take place B次元官网网址渁s a private individualB次元官网网址� and not as an official visit and that Greenlandic representatives would not meet with him. Greenland is an autonomous territory thatB次元官网网址檚 part of Denmark.

Trump Jr. is in Greenland for a day trip to shoot video content for podcasting, according to a person familiar with the plans who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Mininguaq Kleist, permanent secretary for the Greenland foreign affairs department, told The Associated Press that authorities were informed that Trump Jr. would stay for about four to five hours.

Neither Trump Jr.B次元官网网址檚 delegation nor Greenlandic government officials had requested a meeting, Kleist said.

The visit nonetheless had political overtones. The president-elect recently voiced a desire B次元官网网址� also expressed during his first presidency B次元官网网址� to acquire the territory in , an area of strategic importance for the U.S, China, Russia and others.

The , Greenland sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans and is 80% covered by an ice sheet.

B次元官网网址淚 am hearing that the people of Greenland are B次元官网网址楳AGA.B次元官网网址� My son, Don Jr., and various representatives, will be traveling there to visit some of the most magnificent areas and sights,B次元官网网址� the president-elect posted on his social media site Monday night, referring to his B次元官网网址淢ake America Great AgainB次元官网网址� movement.

B次元官网网址淕reenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our nation,B次元官网网址� Trump wrote. B次元官网网址淲e will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside world. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!B次元官网网址�

GreenlandB次元官网网址檚 Prime Minister M煤te Egede has called for independence from Denmark, saying in a New YearB次元官网网址檚 speech that it would be a way for Greenland to free itself from its colonial past. But Egede has also said he has no interest in Greenland becoming part of the United States, insisting that the island is not for sale.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that the future of Greenland would be decided by Greenland, and called the United States DenmarkB次元官网网址檚 most important ally.

has been asserting the kingdomB次元官网网址檚 rights to Greenland as well as the Faroe Islands, a self-governing archipelago located between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Last month, the king changed DenmarkB次元官网网址檚 coat of arms to include fields that represent Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Greenland is represented by a silver bear with red tongue. The royal announcement noted that since 1194, the royal coat of arms B次元官网网址渧isually symbolized the legitimacy and sovereignty of the state and the monarch.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e are all united and each of us committed for the Kingdom of Denmark,B次元官网网址� the king said in his New YearB次元官网网址檚 address, adding: B次元官网网址渁ll the way to Greenland.B次元官网网址�

During his first term, the U.S. president-elect mused about purchasing Greenland, which gained home rule from Denmark in 1979. He after its prime minister dismissed the idea.

Reviving the issue in a statement last month as he announced his pick for U.S. ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote: B次元官网网址淔or 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.B次元官网网址�

TrumpB次元官网网址檚 eldest son has become a prominent player in his fatherB次元官网网址檚 political movement and has served on his presidential transition team, helping to select the people who will staff the incoming White House.