Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister for Business, speaks during a press conference in the Houses of Parliament in London, England, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
NUUK, Greenland (AP) — In a show of unwavering unity, the leaders of Denmark and Greenland came together on Tuesday, firmly rebuffing President Donald Trump’s persistent calls for the United States to acquire the strategically significant Arctic island. This declaration comes as crucial discussions in Washington loom on the horizon.
In what marks their most resolute response yet, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized that Greenland is, without ambiguity, a part of Denmark and thus falls under the protection of the NATO alliance. Any attempt by the U.S. to assert control or undermine Greenland’s status would threaten the very foundation of the transatlantic alliance, a cornerstone of post-World War II security.
However, Trump remained unfazed, simply noting in remarks to reporters, “That’s their problem.”
Frederiksen and Nielsen sought to showcase their solidarity as their foreign ministers, Denmark’s Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Vivian Motzfeldt, prepared for discussions today with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House.
“Dear Greenlanders, you should know that we stand together today, we will do so tomorrow, and we will continue to do so,” Frederiksen declared during a joint press conference in Copenhagen.
In a sweeping affirmation, Nielsen added, “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU.”
Tensions have surged this month as Trump intensifies his rhetoric surrounding a possible U.S. takeover of Greenland, openly discussing all options, including military intervention, to secure the island.
When pressed about Nielsen’s statement expressing Greenland’s preference to remain with Denmark, Trump dismissed it, stating, “I disagree with him. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know anything about him. But that’s going to be a big problem for him.”
Earlier this week, Trump reiterated his belief that the U.S. must “take Greenland,” suggesting that, if not, nations like Russia or China would. He expressed a preference to negotiate for the territory, stating, “But one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”
Danish officials have clarified their willingness to bolster military cooperation with the U.S. in Greenland; however, they have consistently maintained that the territory is not for sale.
Since the end of World War II, the American military presence in Greenland has dwindled significantly, from thousands stationed at 17 bases to a mere 200 personnel at the remote Pituffik Space Base today. This installation supports critical missile warning, defense, and space surveillance operations for both the U.S. and NATO.
Last June, Denmark’s parliament approved a bill facilitating U.S. military bases on Danish soil, expanding a military agreement reached with the Biden administration in 2023 that granted U.S. forces broader access to Danish airbases.
Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s Minister for Business and Mineral Resources, expressed her disbelief that the United States would consider taking over a NATO ally. She urged the Trump administration to heed the concerns of Greenland’s citizens, noting that many are “very, very worried” about the U.S. intentions regarding their territory. “People are not sleeping; children are afraid. It fills everything these days. And we really can’t understand it,” she remarked during a recent meeting with lawmakers in Britain’s Parliament.
Meanwhile, Danish officials have also sought to reinforce Denmark’s role as a steadfast ally of the United States. A Danish government official verified on Tuesday that Denmark had provided support to U.S. forces in the eastern Atlantic last week in an operation to intercept an oil tanker for alleged violations of U.S. sanctions.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the situation, did not divulge specific details about the assistance offered. This U.S. interception capped a weeks-long pursuit of the tanker that began in the Caribbean Sea, aligned with America’s ongoing blockade in the waters of Venezuela aimed at seizing sanctioned vessels.
Neither the White House nor the Pentagon responded immediately to requests for comment. The Danish support for the U.S. operation was first reported by Newsmax.
In a separate vein, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte avoided engaging in the controversy, asserting that it was beyond his purview to intervene in the dispute.
