Newsletters
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States needs Greenland for national security, citing what he described as increased Russian and Chinese activity around the strategically located island.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Florida, Trump said Greenland is “very strategic” and claimed it is currently surrounded by Russian and Chinese vessels.
“For national security reasons, we need Greenland, and Denmark will not be able to handle it,” Trump said when asked about a possible U.S. intervention.
Trump also argued that U.S. control over Greenland would serve broader Western interests, claiming the European Union’s security would also benefit from such a move.
Greenland is an autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty and has previously rejected approaches from the United States that included proposals involving a transfer of sovereignty.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded Sunday after an image circulated on social media showing Greenland covered with a US flag and the caption “SOON.”
“The image shared by Katie Miller, showing our country cloaked in the American flag, changes nothing,” Nielsen said in a statement on Instagram.
“Our country is not for sale, and our future will not be shaped by debates on social media.”
Katie Miller is a senior aide in the Trump administration and the wife of Stephen Miller, a longtime adviser to Trump and the current US deputy chief of staff.
Nielsen described the image as “disrespectful” and said relations between countries must be based on mutual respect and international law.
“Messages that carry symbolism of possession are not the path forward,” he said, adding that such content ignores Greenland’s status and rights.
Nielsen emphasized that Greenland is a democratic society with self-government, free elections, and strong institutions, and said the country’s position is firmly anchored in international law and internationally recognized agreements.
“There is no reason for panic,” he said, “but we do have a good reason to clearly reject this kind of disrespect.”
Greenland has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources.
Trump has previously described ownership of Greenland as an “absolute necessity” for US economic security, likening it to a major real estate deal.
Both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected any proposal to sell the territory, reaffirming Danish sovereignty over the island.
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
