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London: European leaders have pushed back at US President Donald Trump after he aired the idea of gaining control of Greenland following his military intervention in Venezuela, heightening fears he would disregard alliances and flout international law to get his way.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that it made “absolutely no sense” for the US to seize Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.Credit: Getty Images
The formal statement was swiftly backed by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, one of Trump’s strongest supporters in Europe, who declared that the fate of Denmark and Greenland could only be decided by their own people.
The remarks followed a new signal from Trump that he wanted to gain American control of Greenland, while a key supporter of his administration issued a provocative social media post showing the Arctic territory decorated in the American flag.
While Trump has spoken in the past about turning Greenland into an American territory, the timing of his latest remark has deepened European concerns about his foreign policy ambitions because of his use of force to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
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Speaking to The Atlantic magazine, Trump expressed concern that Greenland was “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships” and would be needed for US security.
“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” he said. “We need it for defence.”
Trump did not talk of using force to gain the territory, but he has left this option open in the past despite the frustration among European allies about the threat to Denmark, a NATO ally.
“I don’t rule it out,” Trump told US broadcaster NBC in May when asked about using force to take Greenland. “I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything. No, not there. We need Greenland very badly.”
Katie Miller, an influential America First commentator who is married to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, sharpened the focus on Greenland in a social media post on Sunday that called for US control of the territory.
Miller’s post showed a map of Greenland decorated in the American stars and stripes, with a caption saying: “Soon”.
While Greenland is seen as a potential source of rare earths and other commodities, the debate over its future is also being shaped by concerns about Russian naval power and the need for NATO dominance in the Arctic to counter potential threats. The island is a key location for US missile defence systems and surveillance.
Frederiksen, who has clashed with Trump in the past over his interest in Greenland, issued a statement within hours of his latest remarks being reported in the media.
“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland. The United States has no right to annex one of the three countries in the commonwealth,” she said.
The Danish commonwealth consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
“The Kingdom of Denmark – and thus Greenland – is part of NATO and is therefore covered by the alliance’s security guarantee,” she said.
“We already have a defence agreement between the Kingdom and the United States today that gives the United States wide access to Greenland. And we, on the part of the Kingdom, have invested significantly in security in the Arctic.
“I would therefore strongly urge the United States to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly said that they are not for sale.”
Greenland’s Premier, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also issued a formal rebuff to Trump.
“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,” he said.
Stubb followed with a social media post backing Frederiksen.
“No one decides for Greenland and Denmark but Greenland and Denmark themselves. Our Nordic friend Denmark and [the Danish prime minister] have our full support,” he said on X.
Trump appointed a key ally, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, as a special envoy to Greenland last month, in a decision that provoked criticism from Denmark and Greenland over his intentions.
The appointment followed a visit to Greenland by US Vice President JD Vance in March, and media coverage about Trump supporters seeking to gain influence in Greenland. The territory, a former Danish colony, has a population of about 57,000 and a small parliament, the Inatsisartut, with 31 members.
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