The leaders of political parties in Greenland have united to publicly reject US President Donald Trump’s remarks regarding the potential annexation of their autonomous island.
In a joint statement released following an emergency meeting, the leaders of the territory’s five parliamentary parties asserted, We—all party leaders—cannot accept the repeated statements about annexation and control of Greenland.
Their statement, shared on social media platform Facebook, emphasized their collective stance on the issue.
They went on to stress the importance of participating in diplomatic efforts, saying, We must emphasize that Greenland continues the work for Greenland that is already underway through diplomatic channels in accordance with international laws and regulations.
Responding to queries from reporters about the possible takeover of the island, President Trump remarked, I think it will happen.
This comment drew attention during a visit from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who refrained from responding directly.
Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister, Mute Egede, expressed his frustration by stating, Enough is enough.
He emphasized that, This time we need to toughen our rejection of Trump. People cannot continue to disrespect us.
Mr. Egede is currently leading Greenland while awaiting the establishment of a new government after his party’s defeat in recent elections.
He further criticized the repeated mention of annexation, stating, The American president has once again evoked the idea of annexing us. I absolutely cannot accept that.
He announced plans to convene a meeting with the territory’s political leaders to discuss their response.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also weighed in on President Trump’s comments, asserting that Greenland is not subject to takeover. If you look at the NATO treaty, the UN charter, or international law, Greenland is not open to annexation,
he told reporters.
I see no indication in the Greenland elections that people want to leave the kingdom to become Americans.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the leader of Greenland’s center-right Democrats and a likely candidate for prime minister, also condemned President Trump’s remarks, stating, Trump’s statement from the US is inappropriate and just shows once again that we must stand together in such situations.
So, what drives Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland? During his previous tenure as president, he proposed the idea of purchasing the island from Denmark—an idea that was promptly rejected by both the Danish government and the Greenlandic people. Since resuming power this year, Trump has pressed his intentions with heightened assertiveness, citing national security as a key reason for wanting control of Greenland.
Polls indicate that while many residents of Greenland favor independence from Denmark, they do not support any form of annexation by the United States.
