Donald Trump insists the US needs Greenland for defence, drawing sharp rebukes from Denmark and Greenland’s leaders over sovereignty concerns
COPENHAGEN: President Donald Trump has reiterated his desire for the United States to acquire Greenland, citing national security imperatives.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”
His comments follow a social media post by Katie Miller, wife of influential aide Stephen Miller, featuring a US-coloured Greenland flag captioned “SOON”.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a firm rejection of the idea in a Sunday statement.
“I have to say this very clearly to the United States: it is absolutely absurd to say that the United States should take control of Greenland,” she said.
Frederiksen called on Washington to stop “threatening its historical ally”.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen labelled Miller’s flag post “disrespectful”.
He stated relations are built on “mutual respect and international law — not on symbolic gestures that disregard our status and our rights”.
Nielsen added, however, that “there is neither reason for panic nor for concern. Our country is not for sale”.
The controversy is amplified by recent US military intervention in Venezuela, which has unsettled European allies.
Trump has justified the potential move by highlighting Greenland’s strategic Arctic location and reserves of critical minerals.
When asked by The Atlantic about implications for Greenland following the Venezuela operation, Trump said, “They are going to have to view it themselves. I really don’t know.”
He added, “But we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”
Denmark’s ambassador to the US, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, responded to Miller’s post with a pointed reminder of their NATO alliance.
Soerensen noted Denmark has “significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts” alongside Washington.
“We are close allies and should continue to work together as such,” he wrote.
