Denmark warns US against using force for Greenland

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has cautioned that any US military attempt to seize Greenland would sever 80 years of transatlantic security ties, a move that could dismantle NATO and post-World War II security.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a stark warning on 5/1, stating that any US military action to seize Greenland would destroy 80 years of transatlantic security cooperation. Her comments came after President Donald Trump repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire the autonomous Danish territory, even suggesting the use of force. Frederiksen emphasized that such an act against a NATO member would dismantle the alliance and post-World War II security structures.

Both Denmark and Greenland have consistently rejected the idea of annexation. Frederiksen reiterated Denmark's firm opposition, while Greenland's Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen also spoke out on 5/1. Nielsen asserted that Greenland is not comparable to Venezuela, where the US launched a military operation on 3/1, and the island would not be "occupied overnight."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Brussels, Belgium, 12/2025. Photo: Reuters

Nielsen had previously used social media to urge the US President to avoid "pressure, implication, or fantasies about annexation." He affirmed Greenland's readiness for dialogue, provided it occurs through official channels and respects international law.

Concerns regarding Trump's intentions for Greenland intensified following the US military operation in Venezuela on 3/1. Since returning to the White House, President Trump has repeatedly voiced his wish for the US to purchase Greenland from Denmark, openly not ruling out military intervention to achieve his objective. On 4/1, Trump reiterated Greenland's importance for US national security, stating, "We will handle the Greenland issue in about two months. Let's discuss Greenland in 20 days."

Greenland, the world's largest island, is located near North America, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. With a population of 57,000, this Danish territory spans approximately 2,16 million km2, an area larger than Mexico and over three times the size of the US state of Texas. Its strategic importance to Washington stems from its location on the shortest shipping route between North America and Europe, coupled with its vast, largely untapped mineral resources.