The leader of Greenland firmly rejected the renewed remarks of the American president on Sunday. Donald Trump regarding a possible acquisition of the Arctic island, declaring that "enough is enough." Denmark's European allies subsequently reaffirmed that Greenland's future must be decided by its people, and by them alone.
These reactions come after statements made by Donald Trump the day after a US raid that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. By asserting that Washington intended to oversee the governance of Venezuela, the US president reignited fears in Copenhagen of a precedent that could be set for Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to annex the island, an idea he first raised in 2019 during his first term. On Sunday, he told the magazine The Atlantic "We absolutely need Greenland. We need it for our defense." Addressing reporters aboard Air Force One, he added that he would return to the subject "in a few weeks."
Greenland's response was immediate. "Threats, pressure, and talk of annexation have no place among friends," Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, wrote on Facebook. "No more annexation fantasies." Yet, on December 21, Washington had appointed the governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, special envoy to Greenland, the latter having publicly supported integration into the United States.
The island's strategic position, between Europe and North America, explains American interest: Greenland is a key link in the United States' ballistic missile defense system and contains significant mineral resources, central to Washington's objective of reducing its dependence on Chinese exports.
European support was swift. Nordic and Baltic leaders reiterated Greenland's autonomy and their solidarity with Denmark. The Finnish president Alexander Stubb He wrote that "no one decides for Greenland and Denmark except themselves." France also expressed its support, reiterating that the island "belongs to the Greenlandic people," while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen deemed the American remarks "completely nonsensical."
