Denmark tells Trump to drop Greenland takeover talk after Venezuela shock

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged US President Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, pushing back after Trump renewed his interest in the Arctic territory in the wake of Washington’s abduction of Venezuela’s leader.

“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 in a statement on Sunday.

Her comments followed an interview with The Atlantic, in which Trump said:

“We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence.”

The remarks have landed with particular force in Copenhagen after the United States bombed Venezuela and toppled President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, fuelling concerns that Washington’s rhetoric on Greenland could move beyond words.

“I would therefore strongly urge the US to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly said that they are not for sale,” Frederiksen said.

Greenland’s government did not immediately respond to Trump’s latest comments. The self-governing territory is part of the Danish Kingdom and, like Denmark, a member of NATO.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland should become part of the United States, citing its strategic location and resources. Last month, his administration appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a vocal supporter of annexation, as special envoy to the mineral-rich Arctic island.

Greenland’s position between Europe and North America makes it central to the US ballistic missile defence system, while its reserves of critical minerals have drawn growing attention as Washington looks to reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains.

Tensions escalated further on Saturday when Katie Miller, the wife of Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted an image of Greenland overlaid with the US flag on X, accompanied by a single word: “SOON”.

The post drew a sharp rebuke from Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

“Relations between nations and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law – not on symbolic gestures that disregard our status and our rights,” Nielsen wrote.

At the same time, he sought to calm tensions, adding that “there is neither reason for panic nor for concern. Our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts”.

Denmark’s ambassador to the United States, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, also weighed in, stressing Copenhagen’s red lines.

“We expect full respect for the territorial integrity” of Denmark, he said, while offering what he described as a “friendly reminder” that Denmark has “significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts” in close cooperation with Washington. “We are close allies, and should continue to work together as such,” Soerensen added.