Denmark's Prime Minister addressed the comments made by US President Donald Trump about one of the three countries in its kingdom: Greenland.
Mette Frederiksen issued a stern warning to Washington, insisting that the United States cannot simply claim territory belonging to a sovereign nation. The sharp rebuke follows days of escalating rhetoric from the White House, which has sparked significant alarm within the Nordic nation regarding American military ambitions in the region.
Rising Tensions in the Arctic
Prime Minister Frederiksen's comments were a direct response to President Trump's renewed assertion on Sunday that the US 'absolutely' needs Greenland for defence purposes. The semi-autonomous territory is one of the three constituent countries of the Kingdom of Denmark, alongside Denmark proper and the Faroe Islands.
Frederiksen made her position unequivocally clear in a statement that sought to draw a hard line against any potential expansionist moves.
'I need to say this very directly to the US,' Frederiksen said. 'The US has no right to annex any of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark.'
Her remarks underscored the legal and political reality that the Danish kingdom is a unified entity. Frederiksen emphasised that Greenland is fully integrated into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), meaning it is already covered by the alliance's collective defence guarantee.
She further pointed to existing defence agreements that already grant the US 'extensive access to Greenland,' suggesting that annexation is not only illegal but strategically unnecessary.
Concerns Over Military Expansion
The diplomatic row has been exacerbated by recent American foreign policy moves elsewhere. The US President's controversial decision to 'run' Venezuela and detain its leader, Nicolás Maduro, has set off alarm bells in Copenhagen.
Officials fear these actions signal a broader intent to expand the US military footprint in the Western Hemisphere and the Arctic.
Trump has repeatedly argued that controlling Greenland is vital for American national security. 'We do need Greenland, absolutely,' he told The Atlantic on Sunday. 'We need it for defense.'
His appointment of former Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the US' special envoy to Greenland last 21 December also reignited the sparks of criticism from Denmark and Greenland citizens over their interest towards the mineral-rich Arctic island.
However, critics argue that these comments disregard the sovereignty of the Danish realm and the democratic rights of the people living there.
Social Media Provocations
Tensions reached a fever pitch late on Saturday following a provocative social media post by Katie Miller, the wife of Trump's deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller. The post on X displayed a map of Greenland coloured with the stars and stripes of the US flag, accompanied by a single-word caption: 'SOON.'
The image was widely condemned by Danish and Greenlandic officials. Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's Premier, took to Facebook on Sunday to address the controversy. While he described the image as 'disrespectful,' he urged his citizens to remain calm.
'We are a democratic society with self-government, free elections and strong institutions,' Nielsen wrote. 'Our position is firmly anchored in international law and in internationally recognised agreements.'
He added that despite the rhetoric coming from Washington, there was 'no reason for panic,' signalling confidence in the strength of Greenland's political status.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
