Denmark and Greenland have urged United States President Donald Trump to stop making threats about taking over Greenland following renewed comments expressing his desire to annex the Arctic island.
In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump said the U.S. needed Greenland “for defense,” a statement that drew sharp criticism from Danish and Greenlandic leaders.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed the remarks, insisting that the United States has no right to annex any part of the Danish Kingdom.
“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the U.S. needing to take over Greenland. The U.S. has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish Kingdom,” Frederiksen said, urging Washington to stop threatening a close ally and a people who have clearly stated they are not for sale.
Her comments came amid heightened concern following the recent U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, raising fears that similar pressure could be directed at Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also condemned Trump’s remarks, describing them as inaccurate and disrespectful.
“When the President of the United States says that ‘we need Greenland’ and links us to Venezuela and military intervention, it’s not just wrong. It’s disrespectful,” Nielsen said.
Tensions have further escalated after Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as U.S. special envoy to Greenland in December, a move criticised by both Danish and Greenlandic authorities. Trump has repeatedly advocated for Greenland to become part of the United States, a position Landry has publicly supported.
Greenland’s strategic location between Europe and North America makes it vital to U.S. missile defence systems, while its rich mineral resources have attracted growing American interest as Washington seeks to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies.
Although Greenland gained the right to declare independence in 2009, it remains financially dependent on Denmark, which has recently increased Arctic defence spending in an effort to ease tensions with both Greenland and the Trump administration.
