President Donald Trump has sparked controversy with bold comments about his intention to pursue control of Greenland.
The 78-year-old – who was once again sworn in as president on Monday (January 20) – first expressed interest in acquiring Greenland during his first term in office in 2019, describing control of the territory as an “absolute necessity” for international security, BBC reported.
Since returning to the White House, he has reignited the conversation, confidently stating that the US will eventually take control of the Arctic island, which has around 56,000 residents.
For President Trump, Greenland is more than just a massive island – it’s a strategic necessity.
Positioned on the shortest route between North America and Europe, the island holds immense geopolitical value for the US.
The country is also home to a large American space facility and is rich in natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron.
Though Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, it enjoys autonomy and many Greenlanders have sought for eventual independence. This could pave the way for closer ties with the US in the future – though not necessarily in the way Trump imagines.
In a recent interview on Air Force One on Saturday (January 25), Trump claimed that the people of Greenland “want to be” with the US.
“I think we’re going to have it,” Trump boldly stated. “I think the people want to be with us.”
“I don’t really know what claim Denmark has to it, but it would be a very unfriendly act if they didn’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world,” he said, cited by BBC.
“I think Greenland we’ll get because it has to do with freedom of the world. It has nothing to do with the United States other than that we’re the one that can provide the freedom. They can’t,” he added.
Despite Trump’s confidence, officials in both Denmark and Greenland have dismissed the idea.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede has maintained that decisions about the island’s land are “Greenland’s business,” though he did express an openness to collaborating with the US on defense and mining.
Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders,” and emphasized that only the island’s people could decide its future.
According to the Financial Times, the 47-year-old reasserted her position in a “fiery” 45-minute phone exchange with Trump earlier this week.
A European official described the call as “horrendous” while another source labeled Trump’s interest as “serious, and potentially very dangerous”.
Trump’s comments haven’t sat well with all Greenlanders either.
Bilo Chemnitz, a resident from the capital city Nuuk, told The Washington Post: “I don’t trust the guy,” while a woman named Ida Abelsen added: “I don’t like the way he talks about Greenland.”
A local church elder named Kaaleeraq Ringsted dismissed Trump’s remarks as “not acceptable,” and reiterated, “Greenland is not for sale.”
The president has hinted at multiple avenues to pursue control of Greenland. When asked earlier this month if he would rule out military or economic force to secure the territory, Trump declined to do so.
