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| Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen speaks during a media conference at the EU Summit in Brussels, 19 December, 2025 AP Photo |
Denmark's prime minister warned on Monday that any move by the United States to take Greenland by force would destroy 80 years of transatlantic security links, after President Donald Trump repeated his desire to annex the mineral-rich Arctic territory.
Washington's military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears about Trump's designs on the autonomous Danish territory, which has untapped rare earth deposits and could be a vital player as polar ice melts, opening up new shipping routes.
"We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to do it," the US leader said Sunday.
In response, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told Trump to back off, while several European countries and the European Union rushed to back Denmark, which has urged Washington to stop threatening a NATO ally.
In Copenhagen, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told the TV2 network: "If the United States decides to military attack another NATO country, then everything would stop - that includes NATO and therefore post-World War II security."
Watch | Denmark PM Rejects U.S. Threats Over Greenland: “Not for Sale”
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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a firm statement in response to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling on Washington to halt its threats against a “close ally” and respect the will of… pic.twitter.com/34bL6E9LtE
Condemnation around Europe
The controversy drew statements of support from around Europe. EU foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper told reporters the bloc was committed to defending the territorial integrity of its members.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "only Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark" could decide the territory's future, sentiments reflected in statements from the leaders of Finland, Sweden and Norway.
France's foreign ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux told local TV that "borders cannot be changed by force" and added that his country felt "solidarity" with Denmark.
The flare-up came after former Trump aide Katie Miller posted an online image Saturday of Greenland in the colours of the US flag with the caption "SOON."
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| Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen delivers a speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 8 October, 2025 AP Photo |
Nielsen labelled the post "disrespectful". Frederiksen on Sunday called on Washington to stop "threatening its historical ally" and said US claims on Greenland were "absurd."
Miller is the wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, who is widely seen as the architect of many Trump policies, guiding the president's hard-line immigration decisions and domestic agenda.
In response to Miller's post, Denmark's ambassador to Washington, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, said his country was already working with Washington to boost security in the Arctic.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such," Soerensen wrote.
Additional sources • AFP
