Following an interview with The Atlantic on Saturday, in which President Donald Trump expressed the belief that the United States needs Greenland for security purposes, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded on Sunday by affirming her belief that the US president is earnest in his interest in acquiring Greenland. She emphasised that both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected this proposition.
In a subsequent interview with the public broadcaster Danmarks Radio (DR) on Monday afternoon, Prime Minister Frederiksen stated, “Unfortunately, I think the American president should be taken seriously when he says he wants Greenland.”
She reiterated Denmark’s clear position on the matter and highlighted that Greenland has consistently asserted its desire to remain separate from the United States.
“Trump still thinking Greenland is for sale… I’ll say it once more: It’s not. Keep your deals to your wife’s crypto that nuked the market, we’ll keep running Denmark. #NotForSale @realDonaldTrump,” Frederiksen had posted on X a year ago, on 25 January 2025.
The topic of Greenland’s independence has surfaced in light of recent actions taken by the United States regarding Venezuela, which involved the capture of its authoritarian President, Nicolas Maduro.
President Trump sparked a reaction in Denmark when he said in an interview with The Atlantic that the United States needs Greenland for defence purposes. He stated, “We absolutely need Greenland. We need it for defence.”
This claim has been made multiple times, as he has suggested the potential for the semi-autonomous Danish territory to become an annexed part of the United States, citing its strategic location for defence and its mineral resources.
This Statement coincided with a post by Katie Miller, Stephen Miller‘s spouse, who shared an image of Greenland adorned with a US flag and the caption “SOON.” In response, Danish Ambassador to the United States, Jesper Møller Sørensen, expressed concern, stating, “We expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.” However, a response from the US has yet to be forthcoming.
When asked what Denmark can do if the US acts as it did in Venezuela, Fredriksen tells DR that Denmark cannot do much.
“If the US chooses to attack another NATO country, then it’s all over,” she said.
According to Fredriksen, it is essential to articulate concerns effectively, a sentiment also shared by several European allies. The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, has publicly expressed his support for Denmark, affirming that matters concerning Denmark and Greenland should be determined solely by Denmark and Greenland.
On Monday, Germany issued a warning to US President Trump regarding his controversial plans to acquire Greenland, clarifying that the autonomous territory is under Danish sovereignty and that borders should not be altered by force. Deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille stated to journalists in Berlin, “It is abundantly clear that Greenland is an autonomously administered territory that belongs to Denmark. Borders must not be changed through coercion. Territories should not be annexed through force. We are committed to upholding the principles of international law as outlined in the UN Charter.“
Additionally, the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, remarked, “Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Denmark has made it unequivocally clear: threats and fantasies of annexation are unacceptable, particularly towards a people that has clearly expressed it is not for sale. We stand in full solidarity with this stance.”
“Greenland is neither for the taking nor for sale. It is a European territory. I stated this clearly during my visit there, in Nuuk, last September,” Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, posted on X today.
Below is the Statement issued by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in response to Trump’s threats:
“I must say this very clearly to the United States: It makes absolutely no sense to speak of any necessity for the United States to take over Greenland. The United States has no legal basis to annex one of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark — and thus Greenland — is a member of NATO and is therefore covered by the Alliance’s collective security guarantee. We already have a defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States that grants the US broad access to Greenland. In addition, the Kingdom has made significant investments in security in the Arctic. I therefore strongly urge the United States to cease its threats against a historically close ally, and against another country and another people who have stated very clearly that they are not for sale.”
