U.S. President Donald Trump has once again floated the idea of the United States annexing Greenland, insisting the vast Arctic territory is vital to American national security. Speaking to reporters, Trump said the U.S. “needs Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” renewing a proposal that has repeatedly strained relations with Denmark and alarmed officials across Europe.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen dismissed the idea outright, calling it a “fantasy” and urging Washington to halt what he described as pressure and insinuations. Nielsen said Greenland is open to dialogue and cooperation but only through proper diplomatic channels and in line with international law. He stressed that decisions about Greenland’s future rest with Greenlanders themselves, not foreign powers.
Tensions escalated after a social media post by Katie Miller, the wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, showed a map of Greenland coloured like the American flag with the word “SOON.” Denmark’s ambassador to Washington responded by reminding the U.S. that the two countries are allies and that Denmark expects respect for its territorial integrity. The renewed rhetoric comes days after a dramatic U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump later claimed the U.S. would effectively “run” Venezuela and allow American oil companies to operate there, comments that have intensified concerns about Washington’s willingness to use force to secure strategic interests abroad.
Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has enjoyed extensive self government since 1979, although defence and foreign affairs remain under Danish control. While many Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls consistently show strong opposition to becoming part of the United States. The island’s strategic Arctic location and mineral resources have increasingly drawn global attention as geopolitical competition intensifies.
International leaders have pushed back on Trump’s claims. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC that only Denmark and Greenland can decide the territory’s future. The European Union also rejected Trump’s assertion that Europe needs U.S. control of Greenland, with European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho saying there have been no such discussions and that the claim does not reflect the EU’s position.