A diplomatic firestorm has erupted between the United States and Denmark as President Trump intensifies his campaign to acquire Greenland, prompting Danish officials to threaten the dissolution of NATO if Washington pursues military action. The autonomous Danish territory has become a flashpoint due to its vast rare earth mineral reserves and strategic Arctic location, particularly as melting polar ice creates new maritime routes.
Trump’s position centers on national security arguments, asserting that Denmark lacks the capacity to properly defend Greenland. The territory’s geographic importance is undeniable—it lies on the most direct missile trajectory between the United States and Russia and houses an American military base. Trump promised to focus on the Greenland issue within two months while suggesting preliminary discussions could commence in approximately three weeks.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivered Denmark’s most forceful response, warning that any US military assault on a NATO member would terminate the alliance and eighty years of transatlantic security cooperation. This unprecedented warning underscores the severity with which Copenhagen views Trump’s repeated statements about taking control of Greenland. The dispute has drawn broad European backing for Denmark’s position.
Greenland’s own leadership has taken a firm stance against Trump’s pressure. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen publicly told Trump that enough was enough, rejecting further pressure and annexation rhetoric. While indicating willingness for dialogue through proper diplomatic channels, Nielsen later sought to reduce public alarm by characterizing a US takeover as unrealistic and calling for renewed cooperation between Greenland and the United States.
The situation was exacerbated by a social media post from Katie Miller, wife of senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller, showing Greenland depicted in American flag colors with text suggesting imminent acquisition. Nielsen condemned this as disrespectful, while multiple European nations and the EU issued statements supporting Denmark’s territorial integrity. Copenhagen residents interviewed expressed bewilderment at Trump’s threats against a close ally, with some noting that the US already enjoys military access to Greenland.
Arctic Territory Dispute: US-Denmark Relations Collapse Over Greenland
