Donald Trump, who will assume office on 20 January, sparked disbelief in Denmark on Tuesday by refusing to rule out the use of force to annex the autonomous territory.
He made these comments while his son Donald Trump Jr. was visiting Greenland as a “tourist” in a visit that received significant media attention.
The President-elect reiterated his expansionist ambitions in late 2024, insisting that control over Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for U.S. national security and global liberty.
In response, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen convened a meeting on Thursday night with leaders of Danish parliamentary parties and two Greenlandic MPs. “We have proposed a conversation between us. I don’t think anything concrete will happen until the President-elect takes office,” she informed journalists after the meeting, which yielded few specific details.
Frederiksen emphasised that she does not believe Trump will attempt to seize Greenland by force. “We have no reason to believe that would happen.” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen remarked, “I think it’s important to take Trump very seriously, but not necessarily literally.”
For its part, the Greenland government reiterated its desire to control its own destiny while maintaining close ties with the U.S. On Friday, Frederiksen will meet with representatives from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, another Danish autonomous territory, for the Kingdom of Denmark’s biennial meeting.
