Denmark and Greenland have jointly pushed back against renewed suggestions from U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies that the United States could take control of Greenland, with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stating bluntly that Washington has “no right to annex” the Arctic territory.
In a statement released on Sunday via the Danish government’s official website, Frederiksen addressed the United States directly, rejecting any notion that Greenland could be bought or absorbed. She said talk of the U.S. taking over Greenland was unjustified and incompatible with international law and longstanding alliances.
“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland,” Frederiksen said, adding that the U.S. has no right to annex any part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which comprises Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. She emphasised that Greenland is already part of NATO through Denmark and is therefore covered by the alliance’s collective security guarantees.
The Danish leader also underlined that Denmark already maintains a defence agreement with the United States that grants Washington extensive access to Greenland for military purposes. The U.S. operates the Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, a strategically significant installation for missile warning and space surveillance.
Frederiksen’s remarks followed a social media post by Katie Miller, the wife of White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who shared an image of Greenland overlaid with the U.S. flag and the caption “SOON.” The post reignited controversy around Trump’s long-standing interest in Greenland, which he has repeatedly described as vital to U.S. security and rich in untapped natural resources.
Denmark’s ambassador to the United States, Jesper Møller Sørensen, responded publicly to the post, reminding Washington that the two countries are close allies. He said he expected full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and urged continued cooperation rather than provocative messaging.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also weighed in, issuing a strongly worded statement on Facebook. “Enough is enough,” Nielsen wrote, rejecting what he described as “fantasies of annexation” and calling the tone of U.S. messaging “completely and utterly unacceptable.” He reiterated Greenland’s long-held position that while the territory is open to investment and cooperation, it is not for sale.
Trump first floated the idea of purchasing Greenland during his first term in office in 2019, a proposal that was swiftly dismissed by both Danish and Greenlandic officials. At the time, Greenland’s foreign affairs ministry famously responded that the territory was “open for business, not for sale.” Despite the rejection, Trump has continued to raise the issue intermittently, framing it as a strategic necessity amid growing global competition in the Arctic.
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