Amidst Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland, Greenlandic political leaders assert that their people do not want to be Americans. In a united statement, the leaders of five political parties in the Greenlandic parliament emphasized the island's desire for self-determination. They stated that Greenlanders want to be Greenlanders, not Americans or Danes, and that the future of their country should be decided by them, free from external pressure or interference.
The statement was signed by Jens-Frederik Nielsen, his predecessor Múte B Egede, and Pele Broberg, Aleqa Hammond, and Aqqalu C Jerimiassen. Trump's comments about Greenland's importance to US national security and his discussions with his national security team about a potential purchase have sparked controversy. Greenlanders have consistently expressed their refusal to be part of the US, with a 2025 poll showing 85% of the population rejecting the idea.
The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has also spoken out against Trump's annexation fantasies, warning that a US military invasion would jeopardize Nato and post-World War II security. She has urged Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, emphasizing that the US has no right to annex any part of the Danish kingdom. Trump's response to Frederiksen's statement was that Nato's existence is due to him, and he has previously suggested that the choice to acquire Greenland may be a priority for him.
The US has a military base on Greenland's northwestern tip, and existing agreements with Denmark allow for the stationing of troops. However, Trump has stated that lease agreements are not sufficient and that countries must have ownership to defend it. Greenland's vast natural resources, including rare-earth minerals and potential oil and gas reserves, have been a point of contention, with Trump claiming that the island is under the influence of Russian and Chinese ships.
In an interview, Jess Berthelsen, the chair of Greenland's national trade union confederation, SIK, refuted Trump's allegations, stating that Greenlanders cannot see, recognize, or understand the presence of Russian and Chinese ships in their waters.
