Greenland’s prime minister said residents of the island and the authorities should begin preparing for a potential military invasion—even if such a scenario remains unlikely—amid continued statements by US President Donald Trump about his intention to take control of the territory.
“The likelihood of a military conflict is low, but it cannot be ruled out entirely,” Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a press conference on Tuesday in the capital, Nuuk.
According to him, the Greenlandic government will set up a working group involving representatives of all relevant local authorities to help the population prepare for possible disruptions to daily life. The authorities are also working to distribute new guidance for residents, including advice to keep at least a five-day supply of food at home.
Trump has previously said the United States needs to own Greenland for security reasons, and on Tuesday he posted an AI-generated image showing himself planting an American flag on the island. Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has its own government responsible for most domestic affairs, except for defense and foreign policy. In recent days, Denmark has sent additional troops to Greenland to bolster defenses in the Arctic.
“We are under serious pressure and must be prepared for all scenarios,” Greenland’s finance minister and former prime minister, Mute B. Egede, said at the same press conference.
At the same time, Canada’s armed forces, according to the Globe and Mail, have been modeling a possible response to a US invasion following Trump’s public remarks about Canada as a potential 51st state. Sources cited by the newspaper stressed that they consider such a scenario extremely unlikely.
To strengthen security, Denmark and seven other NATO countries last week deployed a small group of officers to the island as part of Operation Arctic Endurance. According to a Greenlandic newspaper, Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command now plans to expand the drills, potentially making them year-round.
On Saturday, the US president threatened to impose new tariffs starting February 1 on eight NATO allies in the North Atlantic region that are contributing military personnel, heightening tensions between Washington and Europe. Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, warned on Tuesday that if the measures are implemented, Europe would have to respond and that this could have “serious consequences” on both sides of the Atlantic.
“If a trade war is launched against us—and I cannot recommend such a step—we will, of course, have to respond. We will be forced to do so,” she said during a question-and-answer session in the Danish parliament. “I hope it does not come to that. I hope we can convince the Americans that this is not the path to take.”