United States (US) President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated his plans to annex Greenland, accusing Denmark of failing to address what he described as a “Russian threat”.
Greenland, though sparsely populated, is strategically significant due to its location between North America and the Arctic, offering early-warning capabilities for missile defence and monitoring of regional shipping routes.
“NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.’ Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“Now it is time, and it will be done!!!” he added.
The White House and Denmark’s foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but Trump’s post came amid escalating tensions with European allies following his insistence that the US should acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
He has repeatedly said he will settle for nothing less than ownership of the island, a position firmly rejected by both Danish and Greenlandic leaders, who say the territory is not for sale and does not want to become part of the US.
Trump’s latest comments follow strong pushback from Denmark Prime Minister (PM) Mette Frederiksen, who said Europe would not be pressured into concessions through trade threats.
He was referring to Trump’s threat of fresh wave of tariffs on European allies unless he is allowed to purchase Greenland amid growing presence of China and Russia, making Greenland critical to US security interests.
European officials counter the claim by noting that the island is already covered under NATO’s collective security pact.
“Europe will not be blackmailed,” Frederiksen wrote on Facebook, adding that Denmark was willing to cooperate but not seeking conflict.
“It is all the more important that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community.”
Earlier, Trump warned he would impose new tariffs on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) starting February if they oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the eight European countries said Trump’s tariff threats risked triggering a “dangerous downward spiral” in transatlantic relations.
They expressed “full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland” and warned that using trade measures against allies undermined NATO unity.
The countries said they remained committed to strengthening Arctic security as NATO members and stressed their willingness to engage in dialogue based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
President Trump has said the proposed tariffs could begin at 10% and later rise to 25%, remaining in place until a deal is reached. He warned that opposing countries were creating a “very dangerous situation for the safety, security and survival of our planet”.
Trump has also previously suggested the US could obtain Greenland “the easy way or the hard way” and has not ruled out the use of force remarks that have drawn widespread criticism across Europe.
European leaders continue to stress that respect for sovereignty remains central to international law.