Greenland leaders reject Trump’s renewed push to take control, insist island’s future is theirs to decide
Sunday January 11, 2026
- Advertisement -
NUUK, Greenland — Greenland’s political leaders on Friday forcefully rejected renewed statements by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Washington could take control of the Arctic island, saying Greenland’s future can only be decided by its own people.
In a rare joint statement, the leaders of all five parties represented in Greenland’s parliament said they opposed any form of external pressure or interference, hours after Trump said the United States would “do something in Greenland whether they like it or not.”
“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said. “No other country can meddle in this. We must decide our country’s future ourselves.”
Speaking earlier at the White House, Trump repeated his long-held view that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary for national security, arguing that Russia or China could otherwise expand their influence in the Arctic. He said Washington would seek control of the island “the easy way” through an agreement, or “the hard way” if required, and did not rule out the use of force.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, has a population of about 57,000 and is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Both the Danish government and Greenland’s authorities have repeatedly said the island is not for sale.
Beyond its pivotal Arctic location, Greenland holds significant natural resources, including rare earth elements and other critical raw materials used in green technologies. The island is also believed to contain large reserves of oil and gas. Much of this wealth remains difficult or costly to extract, but it has taken on growing geopolitical importance as major powers compete over supply chains and Arctic access.
Greenland’s party leaders said they would bring forward a meeting of parliament, the Inatsisartut, to ensure a full political debate and to safeguard the rights of the population following Trump’s remarks. The date of the session has not yet been announced. Parliament last met in November and had been scheduled to reconvene on Feb. 3.
Trump’s comments have also drawn concern in Europe. Several members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization warned that any U.S. attempt to seize Greenland by force would have severe consequences for the alliance. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that an American takeover of Greenland would effectively signal the end of NATO as it is currently understood.
Under a 2009 agreement with Denmark, Greenlanders have the legal right to declare independence through a democratic process. While all five parties support independence in principle, they differ over timing. The governing coalition favors a gradual transition, while the opposition party Naleraq — which won 24.5% of the vote in Greenland’s 2025 election — has called for a rapid break from Denmark.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet next week with Denmark’s foreign minister and representatives from Greenland, according to officials. Trump first raised the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term in 2019, an offer that was swiftly rejected.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
