AFP via Getty ImagesUS President Donald Trump has again proposed annexing Greenland after urging the Danish leader to “end the threat” to the island.
“We need Greenland from a national security standpoint,” the US president told reporters.
President Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of Denmark’s semi-autonomous territory being annexed by the United States, citing its strategic location for defense purposes and mineral resources.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen said “enough is enough” and called the notion of US control over Greenland an “illusion.”
“There is no more pressure, there are no more hints, there are no more illusions about annexation,” he said. “We are open to dialogue and discussion. But this must be done through the appropriate channels, respecting international law.”
Earlier, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Frederiksen added that Denmark and Greenland are NATO members and receive security guarantees from the alliance, and there is already a defense agreement in place that gives the United States access to the islands.
The Danish Prime Minister issued a statement after Katie Miller, the wife of one of Trump’s top aides, Stephen Miller, posted a map of Greenland in the colors of the American flag along with the word “SOON” on social media.
Denmark’s ambassador to the United States responded to Miller’s post, a right-wing podcaster and former aide to President Trump’s first term, with a “friendly reminder” that the two countries are allies and that Denmark expects respect for their territorial integrity.
President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were arrested and taken to New York in a major military operation against Venezuela on Saturday amid back and forth over the future of Greenland.
President Trump later said that the United States would run Venezuela and that American oil companies would start making money for the country.
The situation has renewed concerns that the United States may consider using force to secure control over the vast Arctic island of Greenland. This is something the US president has previously refused to rule out.
Trump argued that making it part of the United States would benefit U.S. security interests due to its strategic location and rich minerals vital for advanced technology sectors.
The Trump administration’s recent move to appoint a special envoy to Greenland sparked outrage in Denmark.
Greenland, with a population of 57,000, has had broad autonomy since 1979, but its defense and foreign policy remain in Danish hands.
Most Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark, but opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the United States.
Follow the twists and turns of Trump’s second term with North American correspondent Anthony Zurcher’s weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. UK readers can sign up here. If you are outside the UK, you can sign up here.
