Denmark Warns US That Seizing Greenland by Force Would Shatter NATO Ties

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Monday that any US attempt to take Greenland by force would shatter eight decades of transatlantic security ties, after President Donald Trump renewed his interest in annexing the mineral-rich Arctic territory.

Fears over Washington’s intentions have intensified following the US military operation in Venezuela, with Greenland’s strategic location and untapped rare-earth resources again drawing Trump’s attention as melting polar ice opens new shipping routes.

“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” Trump said on Sunday.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederick Nielsen responded by telling Trump to back off, as several European countries and the European Union moved swiftly to support Denmark, urging Washington to stop threatening a fellow NATO ally.

Speaking to TV2 in Copenhagen, Frederiksen said a US military attack on Greenland would have far-reaching consequences. “If the United States decides to militarily attack another NATO country, then everything would stop — that includes NATO and therefore the entire post-World War II security architecture,” she said.

Greenland lies on the shortest missile route between Russia and the United States and already hosts a US military base.

Trump appeared to play down the urgency of the issue, saying: “We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months. Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”

Nielsen, however, struck a firmer tone online. “That’s enough now. No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation,” he wrote on social media, while adding that Greenland remained open to dialogue conducted “through the proper channels and with respect for international law.”

On Monday, Nielsen called for renewed engagement with Washington but urged calm. “The situation is not such that the United States can conquer Greenland. That is not the case. Therefore, we must not panic,” he said in Nuuk. “We must try to re-establish the good cooperation we once had.”

‘China threat’

European unease has grown since Trump ordered the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, now detained in New York, and said the United States would “run” Venezuela indefinitely while exploiting its oil reserves.

Trump has also stepped up pressure on Greenland in recent months, claiming in December that Russian and Chinese ships were operating extensively off its coast.

China rejected the accusation on Monday, with its foreign ministry urging Washington to “stop using the so-called China threat as an excuse to seek personal gain.”

Aaja Chemnitz, Greenland’s representative in the Danish parliament, accused Trump of “spreading lies about Chinese and Russian warships” and warned that Greenlanders needed to take his remarks seriously. “The people of Greenland should go into preparation mode,” she told AFP.

In Copenhagen, residents expressed disbelief at Trump’s comments. “I think it’s a little crazy that he can say those things,” said Frederik Olsen, 56. Another resident, Christian Harpsoe, 46, said the US already had extensive military access. “You cannot compare this to Venezuela,” he said.

‘Disrespectful’

European leaders rallied behind Denmark, with EU foreign policy spokesperson Anitta Hipper reaffirming the bloc’s commitment 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, echoing statements from the leaders of Finland, Sweden and Norway. France’s foreign ministry said borders could not be changed by force and expressed solidarity with Denmark.

The row intensified after former Trump aide Katie Miller posted an image of Greenland coloured like the US flag with the caption “SOON.” Nielsen called the post “disrespectful,” while Frederiksen urged Washington to stop “threatening its historical ally,” dismissing US claims on Greenland as “absurd.”

Denmark’s ambassador to Washington, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, said Copenhagen was already working closely with the United States to strengthen Arctic security. “We are close allies and should continue to work together as such,” he wrote.