President Donald Trump’s renewed calls for the United States to annex Greenland have sparked international condemnation, with the autonomous Danish territory’s prime minister warning “that’s enough now”.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Monday, Trump reiterated his goal to acquire the Arctic territory, citing national security concerns.
“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” Trump told reporters. “We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months… let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”
The comments came amid heightened tensions following Washington’s military intervention in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday. This has reignited fears about Trump’s territorial ambitions given Greenland’s strategic Arctic location.
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‘That’s enough now’
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a sharp rebuke on Facebook, stating: “No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation.
“We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law,” Nielsen added.
The territorial dispute escalated when Katie Miller, wife of Trump’s influential adviser Stephen Miller, posted an image of Greenland in US flag colours with the caption “SOON”. Nielsen called the post “disrespectful”, writing on social media that “our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts”.
International solidarity
European leaders rallied behind Denmark on Monday, with France’s foreign ministry spokesman Pascal Confavreux telling television channel TF1 that “borders cannot be changed by force”.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb declared on X: “No one decides for Greenland and Denmark but Greenland and Denmark themselves”, whilst his Swedish and Norwegian counterparts issued similar messages of support.
China’s foreign ministry also criticised the US, urging Washington to “stop using the so-called China threat as an excuse to seek personal gain” after Trump claimed Russian and Chinese ships were “all over” Greenland’s coast.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Washington’s approach “absolutely absurd”, noting that Denmark “and thus Greenland” was a NATO member protected by the alliance’s security guarantees.
Colombian president fights back
Trump’s aggressive rhetoric extended beyond Greenland to Colombia, where President Gustavo Petro faced accusations of drug trafficking.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump called Colombia “very sick too” and claimed it was “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States”.
“He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long,” Trump added, suggesting military intervention similar to the recent Venezuelan operation “sounds good to me”.
Petro rejected the allegations, posting on X: “Stop slandering me, Mr. Trump. That’s not how you threaten a Latin American president who emerged from the armed struggle and then from the people of Colombia’s fight for peace.”
Colombia’s foreign ministry condemned Trump’s comments as “unacceptable interference” and demanded respect.
The tensions highlight the strained relationship between the traditional allies since Trump’s second term began, with regular clashes over tariffs and migration policy.
Denmark’s ambassador to the United States, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, offered a pointed reminder that his country had “significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts” and worked closely with Washington.
“We are close allies and should continue to work together as such,” Soerensen wrote in response to the escalating rhetoric.
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