President Donald Trump has renewed his controversial push for the United States to acquire Greenland, warning that Washington could pursue the territory “the hard way” if a deal cannot be reached peacefully — remarks that have drawn swift rejection from Greenlandic leaders and raised alarm across Europe.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Mr Trump argued that US control of Greenland was necessary to prevent Russia or China from gaining a strategic foothold in the Arctic.
“We are going to do something in Greenland, whether they like it or not,” the US president said. “If we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour.”
He added that he would prefer an agreement through negotiations but did not rule out more forceful options. “I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” he said.
Greenland’s political leaders responded with an unusually united front. In a joint statement, party leaders — including those in opposition — rejected any suggestion of foreign ownership.
“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said. “The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty, has long insisted it is not for sale. Denmark has repeatedly echoed that position, both publicly and in private diplomatic discussions.
Despite this, senior US officials have reportedly explored several options for bringing the Arctic island under American control, with Mr Trump declining to rule out military intervention. The comments have unsettled NATO allies, given Greenland’s strategic importance and the alliance’s collective defence principles.
European leaders have warned that any attempt to seize Greenland by force would have serious consequences. In a joint statement, the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland and Spain said the territory “belongs to its own people,” stressing respect for sovereignty and international law.
Mr Trump sought to soften his remarks by praising Denmark, saying its leaders had been “very nice” to him, but maintained that US action was necessary for long-term security. He also declined to confirm reports that Washington was considering direct payments to Greenlanders to encourage support for US control.
“I’m not talking about money for Greenland yet,” he said.
Many residents of Greenland have already rejected such ideas outright. “No thank you. It’s absolutely certain that we don’t want that,” said Simon Kjeldskov, a resident of the capital, Nuuk. Another resident, Juno Michaelsen, added: “Any number in the world and we will say no. It belongs to us and only us.”
Behind the scenes, diplomatic engagement has intensified. Greenland’s top representative in Washington and Denmark’s ambassador to the US met with White House officials on Thursday, according to diplomats familiar with the discussions.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, alongside other party leaders, reiterated late on Friday that the territory would not be ceded. Lawmakers have also agreed to bring forward a parliamentary session to debate a formal response to the Trump administration’s renewed pressure.
