Donald Trump has once again floated the idea of the United States annexing Greenland, despite firm opposition from Danish and Greenlandic leaders, who have urged him to end what they describe as repeated threats toward the Arctic territory.
Speaking to reporters, the US president said Washington “needs Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” repeating arguments he has made in the past about the island’s strategic importance and mineral resources.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, rejected the proposal outright, calling it unrealistic and unacceptable. “That’s enough now,” he said, adding that any suggestion of US control over Greenland was a “fantasy.” He stressed that Greenland was open to dialogue, but only through established diplomatic channels and with full respect for international law.
Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, also responded strongly, stating that the United States has no right to annex any part of the Danish kingdom. She recalled that Denmark and Greenland are members of Nato and already benefit from the alliance’s collective security guarantees. Frederiksen noted that an existing defence agreement already allows US access to Greenland when necessary.
Tensions rose further after a social media post by Katie Miller, the wife of senior Trump aide Stephen Miller, showed a map of Greenland coloured like the US flag alongside the word “SOON.” Denmark’s ambassador to Washington replied with a reminder that the two countries are allies and that Denmark expects respect for its territorial integrity.
The renewed dispute comes shortly after a major US military operation in Venezuela, during which President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and taken to the United States. Trump later said Washington would oversee Venezuela during a transition period and suggested US oil companies would benefit from the change.
These developments have heightened concerns in Europe that the US could one day consider using force to assert control over Greenland, a possibility Trump has previously declined to rule out. The administration has argued that Greenland’s location and natural resources make it vital to US security interests.
The appointment of a US special envoy to Greenland has already caused friction with Denmark. While Greenland enjoys broad self-rule, with its own parliament and government, defence and foreign affairs remain under Danish authority. The island has about 57,000 inhabitants.
Although many Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls consistently show strong opposition to becoming part of the United States.
Reacting to the situation, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the future of Greenland could only be decided by Denmark and Greenland themselves. “Only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark can decide Greenland’s future,” he said.
Meanwhile, the European Union has dismissed Trump’s claim that the EU needs the US to control Greenland. A spokesperson for the European Commission said there was no such position within the bloc and no known discussions with Washington on the matter.