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Greenland and Denmark have vowed to strengthen their ties in response to President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring the Arctic island.
Some shit you should know before you read: Shortly after President Trump won the election, he began calling for Greenland to become part of the United States, citing a mix of strategic, economic, and national security reasons. Trump has argued that as Arctic ice continues to melt, new trade routes are opening through the region—routes that geopolitical rivals, like China and Russia, could exploit. He warned that without US control or influence in Greenland, the area risks becoming militarized by foreign powers, threatening global stability and American interests. Trump has also highlighted the island’s vast reserves of rare earth materials and the need to install advanced early warning systems in the Arctic to monitor potential missile threats. These proposals have sparked anger from some US lawmakers and many in Greenland, where there’s strong support for independence.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Greenland’s new Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen held a joint press conference in Copenhagen to highlight their cooperation amid growing US interest in Greenland. Nielsen made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, saying, “We will never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone.” He criticized the tone of US officials, adding, “The talks from the United States have not been respectful. The words used have not been respectful. That’s why we need to stand together.”
Frederiksen echoed these concerns, saying, “We are part of the Danish commonwealth with each other, and we have a will to continue investing in Greenlandic society.”
During their meeting, both leaders also agreed to strengthen ties with each other due to a “new foreign policy situation.” This would include more cooperation in future investments and the modernization of their relationship, including discussions about revising the Self-Government Act to grant Greenland greater autonomy.
This all comes as both Nielsen and Frederiksen left the door open for dialogue with President Trump. Nielsen said, “We always want to meet with the American president. But I think we have been very, very clear in what is the [Danish commonwealth’s] approach to all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
