Denmark Issues Diplomatic Protest Over U.S. Ambitions in Greenland

The Danish government has formally condemned renewed assertions of U.S. territorial interest in Greenland following a viral social media post by a prominent American figure and subsequent remarks by President Donald Trump. On Sunday, January 4, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen labeled discussions of U.S. annexation of the autonomous territory as “absurd” and “outdated,” urging Washington to maintain respect for its historical allies.

The diplomatic friction intensified after Katie Miller, wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, posted an image on X (formerly Twitter) depicting a map of Greenland draped in the American flag with the caption “SOON.” The post, which appeared shortly after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, sparked immediate backlash in Copenhagen. Jesper Møller Sørensen, Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., responded by reminding Washington that “Greenland is not for sale” and emphasized that Denmark expects “full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom.”

President Trump further fueled the controversy in a Sunday interview, stating that the U.S. “absolutely” needs Greenland for national security purposes, citing its strategic position in the Arctic and the importance of Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base). He argued that Denmark lacks the resources to secure the region against rising Arctic competition from Russia and China. This rhetoric follows the December appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a “special envoy to Greenland,” a move the Danish Foreign Ministry previously described as “completely unacceptable.”

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen echoed Denmark’s stance, calling the American rhetoric “disrespectful” to the Greenlandic people. While the U.S. and Denmark remain close NATO allies, Danish intelligence services recently elevated the U.S. to its list of potential security threats for the first time, citing Washington’s willingness to use economic and military pressure to enforce its will on allies.