‘We need Greenland,’ says Donald Trump after Venezuela operation; Denmark says territory not for sale

US President Donald Trump has said the United States “needs” Greenland for national security reasons, renewing tensions with Denmark, which has firmly rejected any suggestion of annexation.

Trump made the remarks late Sunday while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He argued that Greenland’s location in the Arctic has become crucial due to rising activity by Russia and China in the region.

Advertisement

His comments came after a US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The operation has heightened global concerns about Washington’s willingness to act forcefully beyond its borders.

Also Read: Nicolas Maduro in US custody: Son claims betrayal from within, calls for mobilisation

Trump cites Russia, China presence in Arctic

Trump said Greenland is central to US defence planning. He claimed Russian and Chinese vessels are operating across Arctic waters surrounding the island.

“We need Greenland. It’s so strategic right now,” Trump said, adding that Denmark would not be able to secure the territory on its own. He also asserted, without providing details, that Europe supports US control of Greenland.

“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it…The European Union needs us to have it, and they know that,” he said.

Greenland is a self-governing territory under Denmark and occupies a key position between Europe and North America. It also hosts infrastructure linked to the US ballistic missile defence system.

The island’s mineral reserves have drawn growing attention from Washington, particularly as the US seeks to reduce dependence on China, which dominates global rare earth supply chains.

Denmark warns US to stop ‘threats’

Denmark responded sharply. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the idea of the US taking over Greenland was unacceptable.

“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland,” she said in a statement. She added that the US has no right to annex any part of the Danish kingdom.

Frederiksen urged Washington to stop what she described as threats against a close ally and against the people of Greenland, who have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale.

Trump has floated the idea of acquiring Greenland several times in the past. On December 21, he named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, a move that again drew criticism from Copenhagen and Nuuk.

Landry has publicly backed Trump’s view that Greenland should come under US control.

Greenland’s strategic value and resource potential continue to place it at the centre of a growing geopolitical contest in the Arctic.

Also Read: Donald Trump says tariffs could rise quickly over India’s Russian oil imports, praises PM Modi