The American military intervention in Venezuela has dramatically heightened European anxieties about President Trump’s declared intentions toward Greenland, with Denmark warning that any forcible annexation would destroy eighty years of transatlantic security cooperation. Trump’s seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and announcement of indefinite US control over the nation has provided a chilling precedent that has alarmed Danish and European officials regarding Greenland’s fate.
Trump has repeatedly articulated his desire to control Greenland, citing national security requirements and asserting that Denmark lacks the capability to adequately protect the territory. The Arctic region holds strategic significance as the shortest missile route between Russia and the United States, while also hosting an important American military installation. Trump indicated he would prioritize the Greenland matter within two months, though he mentioned possibly addressing it in twenty days.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded with unprecedented severity, stating that a US military attack on another NATO country would completely terminate the alliance and all post-World War II security frameworks. This stark warning reflects Denmark’s assessment that Trump’s rhetoric has crossed from diplomatic pressure into genuine threat territory. The statement represents one of the strongest rebukes ever issued by a NATO member against American policy.
Greenland’s leadership has attempted to balance firmness with diplomacy. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen publicly demanded Trump end his pressure campaign and respect international law, while maintaining openness to dialogue through appropriate channels. He later worked to calm public fears by characterizing a US takeover as unrealistic and urging restoration of historically positive cooperation. Nielsen emphasized the need to re-establish constructive contact with Washington.
The controversy reached new heights when Katie Miller, wife of influential Trump adviser Stephen Miller, posted imagery depicting Greenland in American colors with text suggesting imminent acquisition. This provoked sharp criticism from Nielsen and Frederiksen, who called Trump’s claims absurd. European nations rallied behind Denmark, with the EU, Britain, France, and Nordic countries all affirming support for territorial integrity. Trump’s claims about Chinese and Russian naval presence near Greenland were disputed by Beijing and dismissed by Greenland’s parliamentary representative as fabrications.