> At a Glance
> – Denmark and Greenland have formally requested a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the Trump administration repeated its intent to take over Greenland.
> – The White House stated Tuesday that “U.S. military is always an option.”
> – Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned a U.S. takeover could end NATO.
> – Why it matters: A forced annexation of Greenland could shatter post-WWII alliances and global norms of sovereignty.
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and the Arctic has put it at the center of a growing diplomatic storm. President Donald Trump insists the island is vital for U.S. security against China and Russia, while European leaders vow to defend its sovereignty.
Europe Reacts to U.S. Threat
Frederiksen‘s warning that a takeover would end NATO drew swift support from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Their joint statement Tuesday declared Greenland “belongs to its people” and affirmed its status as a self-governing Danish territory within NATO.
Maria Martisiute, defense analyst at the European Policy Centre, told Natalie A. Brooks:
> “The Nordics do not lightly make statements like this. But Trump’s bombastic language borders on direct threats and intimidation toward an ally.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke with Rubio by phone:
> “Massive support exists in the U.S. for NATO membership, which would be compromised by aggressiveness toward another member.”
Military Reality on the Ground
The U.S. already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and could order the troops stationed there to seize the capital without reinforcements, according to Thomas Crosbie, associate professor at the Royal Danish Defense College.
> “They could just drive to the center of Nuuk and say, ‘This is America now,'” Crosbie said, adding that such a move would erode global rule-of-law norms rather than improve U.S. security.
| Asset | Location | Current Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pituffik Space Base | Northwestern Greenland | Active U.S. installation |
| Danish troops | Nuuk | Would likely not engage |
| Local population | Island-wide | No indication of support for annexation |
Diplomatic Push for Dialogue
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland Minister Vivian Motzfeldt issued a joint statement Tuesday requesting an “early meeting” with Rubio. Previous attempts were unsuccessful.
Denmark’s parliament last June approved expanded U.S. base access, but Rasmussen noted Copenhagen could terminate the agreement if annexation is attempted.
Bipartisan U.S. senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis criticized Trump’s rhetoric:
> “When Denmark and Greenland make it clear Greenland is not for sale, the U.S. must honor treaty obligations and respect sovereignty.”
Key Takeaways
- Greenland’s location astride Arctic shipping lanes and missile trajectories drives U.S. interest.
- European leaders view any coercion as an attack on NATO solidarity.
- A unilateral takeover could be executed with minimal force but massive diplomatic fallout.
With climate change opening new Arctic routes, Greenland’s geopolitical value is rising-yet its people and allies insist the island is “not for sale.”
