In a rare show of unity, Greenland’s leading political parties have issued a joint statement condemning U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about acquiring the Arctic island, calling his behavior “unacceptable” and a threat to diplomatic relations.
The statement, posted on Facebook and signed by all five parties in Greenland’s parliament, firmly rejected Trump’s comments about taking control of the strategically significant territory. “We, all party leaders, cannot accept the repeated statements on annexation and control of Greenland,” the parties said. “We … find this conduct unacceptable to friends and allies in a defense alliance.”
The leaders emphasized Greenland’s autonomy, stating, “Greenland continues the work for Greenland. We all stand behind this effort and strongly distance ourselves from attempts to create discord.”
The rebuke came after Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Friday. Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister, Mute Egede, was particularly vocal in his response, writing on Facebook, “Our country will never be the USA, and we Greenlanders will never be Americans. Greenland is one country. We are united.”
Egede remains in office pending the formation of a new government following his party’s defeat in Tuesday’s elections.
International Law and Diplomatic Tensions
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also rejected Trump’s remarks, asserting that Greenland’s status as part of the Kingdom of Denmark makes it immune to annexation. “If you look at the NATO treaty, the UN charter, or international law, Greenland is not open to annexation,” Rasmussen said.
The U.S. has maintained a strategic interest in Greenland for decades, operating a military base on the island since World War II. However, Trump’s comments have reignited tensions and drawn criticism from both Greenland and Denmark.
During his meeting with Rutte, Trump framed his interest in Greenland as a matter of international security. “You know, Mark, we need that for international security… we have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful,” Trump said. When asked about the possibility of annexation, he added, “I think that will happen.”
Rutte faced criticism for not directly challenging Trump’s remarks during their meeting. Instead, he said he would “leave that [issue] outside… I do not want to drag NATO into that.”
The strong pushback from Greenland’s political leaders underscores the island’s commitment to maintaining its autonomy and rejecting any notion of foreign control. The incident has further strained relations between the U.S. and its Arctic allies, highlighting the delicate balance of diplomacy in the region.