Overview
- President Trump told The Atlantic that the United States "needs" Greenland for defense and later said on Air Force One that Denmark "is not going to be able to do it" from a national security standpoint.
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the U.S. has no right to annex any part of the Danish Kingdom, urged Washington to stop the threats, cited NATO coverage, and noted an existing defense agreement already grants U.S. access to Greenland.
- Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called the rhetoric and a high-profile social media image "disrespectful," stressing the country is not for sale and decisions are not made by posts.
- Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, responded to the “SOON” image by reminding Washington of alliance ties and saying Denmark expects full respect for its territorial integrity.
- The flare-up follows Trump’s appointment of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, who supports U.S. control of the island, and concerns intensified after a U.S. operation in Venezuela captured Nicolás Maduro.