US President Donald Trump has sharply escalated his campaign for American control of Greenland, openly mocking the Arctic island’s defensive capabilities and warning that inaction by Washington could invite military encroachment by Russia or China. His comments have reignited international debate over sovereignty, security, and the future of the strategically located territory.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One late Sunday, Trump dismissed Greenland’s ability to defend itself, joking that its security amounted to “two dog sleds.” He argued that the island should proactively agree to an arrangement with the United States, claiming that Greenland would be safer under American control than left vulnerable to rival powers. Greenland is currently a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump said he had not formally presented Denmark with an offer but insisted that Greenland should pursue a deal on its own initiative. He framed the issue as a matter of urgency, asserting that Greenland does not want to risk Russia or China expanding their influence there. According to Trump, the island’s limited military capacity stands in stark contrast to what he described as an expanding Russian and Chinese naval presence in the Arctic.
Emphasising the strategic stakes, Trump claimed that Russian and Chinese destroyers and submarines were increasingly active in the region. He said the United States would not allow such developments to continue unchecked, adding that any threat to Greenland would inevitably affect NATO as well. In his view, American intervention was not just justified but necessary to preserve broader transatlantic security.
The president made it clear that his administration was not interested in a temporary arrangement. He rejected the idea of leasing Greenland, stressing that Washington’s goal was outright acquisition. Trump argued that Greenland needed the United States more than the United States needed Greenland, and repeated his warning that failure to act would leave the island exposed to rival powers.
Doubling down later, Trump said that if the US did not take control of Greenland, Russia or China eventually would, something he insisted he would not allow. While he said he would prefer to reach an agreement through negotiation, he added that “one way or the other,” the United States would end up with Greenland, underscoring the uncompromising tone of his remarks.
Greenland’s political leadership has responded with firm resistance. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and leaders of four political parties said the island has no desire to become part of either the United States or Denmark. In a joint statement, they emphasised that Greenlanders want to determine their own future and remain neither American nor Danish, but distinctly Greenlandic.
Despite being a long-standing ally of the United States, Greenland has repeatedly rejected Trump’s calls for American control. Nevertheless, several officials in his administration have echoed his argument that the island’s location makes it vital to US national security, particularly as competition in the Arctic intensifies.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that Trump’s rhetoric could have severe consequences for NATO. She said that if the United States were ever to attack another NATO member militarily, the alliance’s foundational security framework would collapse. Such an act, she cautioned, would effectively bring the post–World War II transatlantic order to an end.
Amid speculation about potential US military action, Denmark’s Defence Ministry has also reiterated a Cold War–era directive stating that Danish forces are authorised to open fire immediately if any foreign power attempts to invade Danish territory, including Greenland, without waiting for further orders. The statement reflects the heightened tension surrounding Trump’s renewed push and the broader uncertainty it has injected into Arctic geopolitics.
