Trump renews Greenland takeover push, cites US security, counters Russia-China influence; Denmark and Greenland strongly reject claims. Photos: X.
President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his push for the United States to take control of Greenland, arguing that the vast Arctic island is crucial to American national security and making an inaccurate claim about the US presence there centuries ago. The president has repeatedly expressed interest in taking control of the territory throughout his time in office.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump said Greenland was essential for protecting US interests, a day after he appointed a new American envoy to the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
“We need it for national protection,” the president said.
Trump sought to frame the issue as a strategic necessity rather than an economic one, insisting that Washington was not interested in exploiting Greenland’s mineral resources. Instead, he said the island would help counter the influence of Russia and China, which he accused of operating ships in the region.
“They say that Denmark was there 300 years ago or something with a boat,” Trump said. “Well, we were there with boats too, I’m sure. So we’ll have to work it all out.”
Trump also falsely claimed that Denmark was not adequately supporting Greenland. In reality, Denmark pledged a multi-year investment package worth $253 million for Greenland in September.
Over the weekend, Trump announced that Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry would serve as a special US envoy to Greenland.
The announcement prompted a sharp response from Greenlandic and Danish leaders.
In a joint statement, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected the suggestion outright.
“We have said it before. Now, we say it again: national borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law,” the statement said. “They are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security.”
During the early months of his presidency, Trump mounted an aggressive push over Greenland. In March, Vice President JD Vance visited a U.S. military base on the island. That same month, Trump said he would not rule out using force to take control of the territory.
Tensions intensified further in May after reports emerged that the United States was stepping up espionage efforts in Greenland.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
PM Narendra Modi has met Indian Olympic star Neeraj Chopra and his wife at his…
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 23: The Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA), one of India’s oldest…
The Bangladeshi Taka is currently stronger than the Pakistani Rupee in direct exchange value. With…
