Denmark Says It’s Open To Conversations With Trump—But Greenland Won’t Become A US State
Key Facts
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters the United States and NATO had “legitimate” interests in the region, saying “in conjunction with the melting of the Arctic and new shipping lanes opening up, we are unfortunately also seeing an increase in great power rivalry.”
Greenland is part of Denmark, has representatives in the Danish parliament and its foreign relations are controlled by Denmark, though there has been a growing push for full independence in recent years.
Løkke Rasmussen also noted “Greenland has its own ambitions” and said “if they materialize, Greenland will become independent, though hardly with an ambition to become a federal state in the United States,” Politico reported.
The comments from the Danish diplomat followed a Tuesday press conference from Trump in which he said, “We need Greenland for national security purposes” and would not commit to not using military force to acquire it or the Panama Canal.
Trump also questioned whether Denmark has a right to Greenland on Tuesday, saying, “nobody even knows if they have any right, title or interest.”
Crucial Quote
“I think we can all do ourselves a favor and turn down the pulse a little bit,” Løkke Rasmussen said, according to Politico. “I have my own experiences with Donald Trump, and also know that it is not everything you think that you should say aloud.”
Key Background
Trump first suggested Greenland should become part of the U.S. during his first term in 2019, and he has recently been focused on acquiring it and other areas again, making cases on his Truth Social platform for the U.S. attaining Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal for national security purposes. Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the “51st state” have been largely written off as trolling, though he continued to post photos on Wednesday of the U.S. and Canada covered by an American flag. Other Danish leaders also don’t seem too concerned about Trump’s lack of commitment to not using military force in Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday the U.S. is Denmark’s “most important and closest ally” and that she doesn’t believe Trump would actually use military power to secure Greenland, The Associated Press reported. Frederiksen reportedly also said Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede “has been very, very clear … that there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either.”
Why Does Trump Want Greenland?
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump called Greenland “an incredible place,” and added: “The people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World.” He has continued to suggest owning it is important “for purposes of National security and Freedom.” Greenland is home to the U.S. military’s Pituffik Space Base and has become more important internationally—and drawn attention from Russia and China—as more North Atlantic shipping lanes have opened as a result of melting ice.
How Are Other Countries Responding?
Germany and France advised against Trump threatening Greenland after his Tuesday comments. The BBC reported French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said “there is obviously no question that the European Union would let other nations of the world attack its sovereign borders,” and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “the principle of the inviolability of borders applies to every country... no matter whether it's a very small one or a very powerful one.”
Tangent
Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland for a visit on Tuesday, though Greenland officials said he is not there on an official visit and he will not meet with government officials. Fox News reported Trump Jr. would shoot video content for his podcast while in Greenland, and in a post on X the president-elect’s son described the visit as “epic.” He also posted that the people of Greenland “just want to be able to utilize some of the incredible resources that they have and allow themselves, their country, and their kids to flourish.”
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