US President Donald Trump has once again escalated rhetoric around Greenland, saying the United States “needs” the Arctic island for national security reasons.
He indicated that Washington would revisit
the issue in the coming weeks, remarks that triggered strong pushback from Denmark, Greenland’s leadership, and European allies.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump initially deflected questions about Greenland before signalling a timeline for renewed discussion.
“I don’t want to talk about Greenland. Let’s talk about Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine,” he said, before adding, “We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months. Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”
Trump then outlined his rationale, claiming strategic necessity.
“We need Greenland from a national security situation. It’s so strategic,” he said.
“Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.”
He also criticised Denmark’s ability to secure the territory.
“Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you,” Trump said, adding sarcastically, “You know what Denmark did recently to boost security in Greenland? They added one more dog sledge. It’s true. They thought that was a great move.”
Trump further asserted that Washington’s position was understood by its allies.
“The European Union needs us to have it, and they know that,” he said.
Trump gives Denmark 2 months
‘We will worry about Greenland in 2 months’
‘Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days’
‘We NEED Greenland’ pic.twitter.com/oIsTRCdQMi
— RT (@RT_com) January 5, 2026
The comments were reinforced by senior White House aide Stephen Miller in an interview with American journalist Jake Tapper.
Asked whether the US could rule out taking Greenland by force, Miller declined to do so.
“Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?” he said, adding, “The US is the power of NATO.”
When pressed on the possibility of military action, Miller responded, “Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland.”
The renewed rhetoric comes amid heightened international unease following a recent US military operation in Venezuela, in which Washington seized the country’s leader.
According to Reuters, the episode prompted European powers to rally behind Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, amid concerns that it could face similar pressure.
Meanwhile, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen sought to reassure citizens, saying there was no imminent threat of an American takeover.
“We are not in the situation where we are thinking that a takeover of the country might happen overnight,” Nielsen said at a press conference in Nuuk, speaking via a translator.
“You cannot compare Greenland to Venezuela. We are a democratic country.”
In a Facebook post, Nielsen pushed back more sharply, writing, “Enough is enough… No more fantasies about annexation.”
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Trump’s remarks should be taken seriously but firmly rejected any suggestion of annexation.
“Unfortunately, I think the American President should be taken seriously when he says he wants Greenland,” she told public broadcaster DR, according to Reuters.
“I have made it very clear where the Kingdom of Denmark stands, and Greenland has repeatedly said that it does not want to be part of the United States.”
Frederiksen also warned of the implications for NATO.
“If the United States attacks another NATO country, everything stops,” she said.
Greenland, the world’s largest island with a population of about 57,000, is not an independent NATO member but is covered under Denmark’s membership of the alliance.
Its strategic location between Europe and North America makes it critical to the US ballistic missile defence system, while its mineral resources are seen as important to Washington’s efforts to reduce dependence on China.
