President Donald Trump has reignited controversy by asserting the United States’ strategic need for Greenland’s territory for national defense purposes. The declaration came during a telephone interview with The Atlantic magazine on Sunday, shortly after U.S. forces conducted a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
“We do need Greenland, absolutely,” Trump stated, connecting the Arctic territory’s strategic importance to broader national security concerns. When questioned about potential implications of the Venezuela intervention on Greenland’s status, Trump responded: “It was up to others to decide what the large-scale US strike against Venezuela means to Greenland. They are going to have to view it themselves.”
The remarks prompted an immediate and forceful response from Danish leadership. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a direct rebuke, declaring that “the United States has no right to annex” any part of the Danish Realm, which includes Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands.
“I have to say it very directly to the United States,” Frederiksen stated, urging Washington to cease making threats against a close ally and the Greenlandic people. This diplomatic tension marks the latest chapter in a recurring pattern of territorial interest expressed by the Trump administration throughout the previous year.
The White House has consistently justified its Greenland aspirations by citing national security imperatives, Arctic strategy considerations, and the territory’s potential wealth of critical minerals and natural resources. Meanwhile, the international community continues to express profound alarm over the Venezuela operation, with multiple nations condemning what they characterize as blatant use of force against a sovereign state.