Greenland’s leader rebuked U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed push to secure the Arctic territory, insisting the island’s future will be decided by its own people, as Denmark and European allies protested Washington’s latest moves.
“Greenland is our country. Our decisions are made here,” Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote in a Facebook post, responding after Trump said the United States “needs” Greenland for national security and appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to the territory. “Such words reduce our country to a question of security and power,” Nielsen said, adding that he was “sad” to hear the U.S. demand and thanking Greenlanders for meeting the moment with “calm and dignity.”
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Denmark summoned the U.S. ambassador following Landry’s appointment, which Trump said was part of a strategy to ensure Washington ultimately “has to have” Greenland. Landry immediately vowed to make the Danish territory “a part of the U.S.” The European Union offered “full solidarity” to Denmark, and French President Emmanuel Macron said Greenland “belongs to its people,” adding his voice in support of Copenhagen and Nuuk.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States needs the resource-rich island for strategic reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it. The comments revived a long-simmering dispute that first flared during his previous term, when the U.S. floated purchasing Greenland and was rebuffed by Denmark, which called the idea “absurd.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he was “deeply angered” by the latest move and warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty. Leaders in both Copenhagen and Nuuk have repeatedly said the vast island is not for sale and will determine its own path.
Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, enjoys broad autonomy and holds the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement. The island remains heavily reliant on fishing and Danish subsidies. Its location between Europe and North America anchors U.S. missile defense infrastructure, while its mineral wealth has sharpened American interest in diversifying away from Chinese supply chains.
Public sentiment on the island remains clear: Most Greenlanders want eventual independence from Denmark but do not want to become part of the United States, according to a January opinion poll. In August, Denmark summoned the U.S. charge d’affaires after at least three U.S. officials close to Trump were seen in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, sounding out residents about closer ties to Washington.
Nielsen said the flood of international support underscored that “we are not alone here at home,” a line that resonated across the Danish realm and Europe. The EU move and Macron’s statement marked a rare, swift alignment on Arctic sovereignty, a region where climate change, shipping lanes and critical minerals have intensified geopolitical competition.
Meanwhile, Trump announced plans for a new “Trump class” of battleships as part of an expanded naval buildup, saying the vessels would be larger, faster and “100 times more powerful” than any previously built. The program will start with two ships and could grow to between 20 and 25, he said, with the first named the USS Defiant. Trump, who has criticized the look of U.S. warships in the past, said he will be personally involved in design decisions and promised a crackdown on production delays and cost overruns by defense contractors.
According to Trump, the ships will displace more than 30,000 tons—bigger than current destroyers—and carry advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and directed-energy lasers. The announcement, cast by the White House as a signal of American maritime dominance, is the latest example of the president rebranding federal initiatives in his image and pairing policy declarations with pointed political messaging.
Together, the Greenland gambit and the “Trump class” rollout suggest a White House intent on projecting power in the Arctic and at sea—testing alliances with Europe while accelerating military ambitions at home. For now, Greenland’s government says the decision remains theirs alone.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
