Trump Doubles Down on Greenland Claims as Greenland’s PM Rejects “Annexation Fantasies”
US President insists Greenland is vital for national security, sparking rebukes from Greenland, Denmark, and France.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — US President Donald Trump intensified his repeated claims that Greenland should become part of the United States, despite strong objections from Denmark and international allies. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said Greenland is needed “from the standpoint of national security” and insisted that Denmark would not be able to manage the territory.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen responded sharply, declaring on social media: “That’s enough now. No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation. We are open to dialogue and discussions, but this must happen through proper channels and with respect for international law.”
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them “absolutely absurd” and urging the United States to stop “threatening its historical ally.” She emphasized that Denmark, and by extension Greenland, is a NATO member protected under the alliance’s security guarantees.
France expressed solidarity with Denmark, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux telling TF1: “Borders cannot be changed by force. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the Danes, and it is up to them to decide what to do.”
Confavreux also criticized US military actions in Venezuela, describing them as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, while underscoring France’s commitment to denouncing breaches of global norms.
The controversy comes as Trump’s administration recently carried out a surprise military operation in Caracas, detaining Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in New York. Analysts say the move has heightened international unease over Trump’s comments on Greenland, a strategically located, resource-rich territory in the Arctic.
Trump has repeatedly cited the presence of Russian and Chinese vessels near Greenland’s coast as justification for his claims.
Chinese authorities reacted by urging the United States to stop using “the so-called China threat” as a pretext for territorial ambitions. Nordic leaders, including Finland’s Alexander Stubb and the heads of Sweden and Norway, reinforced the position that Greenland’s future should be determined solely by Greenland and Denmark.
The controversy intensified over the weekend when former Trump aide Katie Miller, wife of one of the president’s top advisers, posted an image of Greenland in US flag colors with the caption “SOON.” Nielsen called the post “disrespectful,” emphasizing that Greenland is not for sale and its future cannot be decided via social media.
Denmark’s ambassador to Washington, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, reiterated that Denmark has strengthened its Arctic security and highlighted the longstanding alliance between Denmark and the United States, stressing that cooperative relations should take precedence over unilateral territorial ambitions.
Trump, meanwhile, has indicated that discussions about Greenland could continue “in about 20 days,” maintaining that US strategic interests in the Arctic make the territory indispensable for defense purposes.
The comments have reignited a transatlantic debate over sovereignty and Arctic security, highlighting the United States’ focus on protecting its national security and strategic interests in a region of growing global importance.