US 'absolutely' needs Greenland for national security, says Trump
What's the story
Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged United States President Donald Trump to stop his threats of annexing Greenland. "It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland. The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom," Frederiksen said on Sunday. This comes after Trump's recent comments on Air Force One, where he reiterated his belief that Greenland should be part of the US for security reasons.
Rising tensions
US military action in Venezuela fuels Greenland takeover fears
"We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security," Trump told reporters. The fears of an American takeover of Greenland have been stoked after the US military's actions in Venezuela, and members of Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement have openly discussed annexing the mineral-rich territory. Right-wing podcaster Katie Miller, whose husband is Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy, posted a map of Greenland with US flags on X, captioned "SOON."
Diplomatic response
Greenland's PM responds to annexation threats
Greenland's PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen called Miller's post "disrespectful," adding that "relations between nations and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law." He also reassured citizens that "there is neither reason for panic nor for concern. Our country is not for sale." Copenhagen's ambassador to the US, Jesper Møller Sørensen, responded to Miller's provocation with a "friendly reminder" of the two countries' long-standing defense cooperation. "We are close allies and should continue to work together as such," he said
Public opinion
Majority of Greenlanders oppose US annexation
A recent poll showed that most of Greenland's 57,000 residents want independence from Denmark but do not wish to join the US. Jennifer Kavanagh from Defense Priorities said she was previously dismissive of Trump's threats but now sees a potential risk with US military presence in Greenland. The Danish defense intelligence service recently labeled the US a security risk, marking a shift in transatlantic relations.