'We have to have it': Trump renews push to annex Greenland amid anger from Denmark

23 Dec 2025, 06:59 by Jane Moore, https://www.thejournal.ie/author/jane-moore/ · TheJournal.ie

DONALD TRUMP HAS reiterated that the United States needs Greenland for “national security” after his appointment of a special envoy to the Danish Arctic island triggered a new spat with Copenhagen.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said the US “needs” the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it.

On Sunday, the US President appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, prompting anger from Denmark, which summoned the US ambassador.

“We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals,” Trump told a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida last night.

“If you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he said.

“We need it for national security. We have to have it,” the president said, adding that Landry “wanted to lead the charge”.

On his appointment, Landry immediately vowed to make the Danish territory “a part of the US”.

In a joint statement yesterday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that Greenland belongs to Greenlanders.

“You cannot annex another country,” they said.

We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he was “deeply angered” by the move and warned Washington to respect Denmark’s sovereignty.

The European Union later offered its “full solidarity” to Denmark.

The Danish foreign minister earlier told TV2 television the appointment and statements were “totally unacceptable” and, several hours later, said the US ambassador had been called up to the ministry for an explanation.

“We summoned the American ambassador to the foreign ministry today for a meeting, together with the Greenlandic representative, where we very clearly drew a red line and also asked for an explanation,” Lokke Rasmussen told public broadcaster DR in an interview.

Strategic location

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa stressed on social media that territorial integrity and sovereignty were “fundamental principles of international law”.

Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly insisted that the vast island is not for sale and that it will decide its own future.

Most of Greenland’s 57,000 people want to become independent from Denmark but do not wish to become part of the US, according to an opinion poll in January.

Lokke Rasmussen said Trump’s appointment of a special envoy confirmed continued US interest in Greenland.

“However, we insist that everyone – including the US – must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said in a statement emailed to AFP.