US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that Greenland should become part of the United States. According to Trump, the island is of strategic importance for national security and the protection of the “free world” particularly in relation to China and Russia. In December 2024, Trump announced that it was an “absolute necessity” for the US to possess and control the island, which is currently a part of Denmark.
In an interview with the Danish public broadcaster DR, the Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede expressed criticism of the US President. Egede stated, “We deserve to be treated with respect and I do not believe the US President has done so since taking office.”
Egede also expressed concerns about the current state of the world, describing a global order that is unstable in many ways. He added that the possibility of a US President being unpredictable and causing uncertainty was a worrying development.
According to Egede, Trump’s politics could lead to a situation in the long run where Greenland is no longer as closely tied to the US as the people might have hoped.
In a speech to Congress on March 5, Trump reiterated that the US will “somehow” gain control over Greenland, as he believes the island is necessary for the security of his country.
The Greenlandic government has firmly rejected these territorial claims, stating that the island is not for sale and that they will not give up their long fight for freedom. At the same time, the Prime Minister expressed a willingness to cooperate with the US.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953 and is now a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Since 2009, the island has had the right to hold a referendum and declare its independence.