Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, responded sharply to renewed statements by US President Donald Trump about the possibility of seizing the self-governing, resource-rich territory that is part of Denmark. His remarks came a day after US forces ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Nielsen recalled the long-standing alliance between the United States and Greenland, stressing in a Facebook post: “We have been a close and loyal friend of the USA for generations.” That, he added, is precisely why “the current and recent rhetoric coming from the United States is completely unacceptable.” When the US president says that “we need Greenland” and links the country to Venezuela and military intervention, Nielsen said, it is “not just wrong—it is disrespectful.”
The prime minister acknowledged the country’s strategic importance and underscored the need for “a respectful and loyal relationship with the United States.” But, he continued, “alliances are built on trust, and trust is impossible without respect.” “Threats, pressure, and talk of annexation have no place between friends. That is not how you speak to a people who have repeatedly demonstrated responsibility, stability, and loyalty,” Nielsen said, adding: “Enough. No more pressure. No more innuendo. No more fantasies of annexation.”
Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of bringing Greenland under US control, citing its importance to American national security. But over the weekend, such remarks carried particular weight—coming after a large-scale military operation by the Trump administration in which Maduro and his wife were captured and taken to New York to face charges. Amid questions about which country might be next, Trump told reporters on Sunday, speaking about Greenland: “It now has enormous strategic importance. Greenland is literally covered with Russian and Chinese ships.” “We need Greenland from a national security perspective, and Denmark will not be able to handle it,” the US president said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also forcefully defended Greenland, saying it was “entirely meaningless to talk about any need for the United States to take control of Greenland.” According to her, the US has “no legal grounds whatsoever for the annexation of one of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark.” Frederiksen recalled that Greenland, as part of Denmark, is a member of NATO and pointed to an agreement granting the United States broad access to the island’s territory. “That is why I strongly urge the United States to stop issuing threats—both toward a historically close ally and toward another country and another people who have made it absolutely clear that they are not for sale,” she said.