US President Donald Trump has reiterated the US military's ability to intervene in Greenland, sparking outrage from European leaders who view the Arctic territory as belonging to its people. The White House statement on Tuesday emphasized that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority for the United States, with the aim of deterring adversaries in the region.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, Trump's interest in Greenland was rekindled after the US operation in Venezuela, where US forces abducted President Nicolas Maduro. Trump has argued that controlling Greenland is crucial to US national security, claiming the island is under threat from Russian and Chinese ships. However, Denmark has denied these claims, stating that its military is capable of protecting the territory.
European leaders have rallied behind Denmark, with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte among others issuing a joint statement reaffirming Greenland's sovereignty. The Nordic foreign ministers have also expressed support for Greenland's right to self-determination, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that threats against NATO allies undermine the alliance's credibility.
The US has dismissed concerns about Danish sovereignty, with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stating that the US would use "strength" and "power" to achieve its goals. However, this stance has been met with criticism from some Republicans, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, who have called for respect for treaty obligations and the sovereignty of Denmark.
A potential US takeover of Greenland would mark a significant shift in Washington's foreign policy, undermining principles established since World War II that countries should be able to determine their own fate. Analysts argue that such an action would also undermine the NATO alliance and render Trump's foreign policy "incoherent."
According to sources familiar with the discussions, Trump's interest in Greenland was rekindled after the US operation in Venezuela, where US forces abducted President Nicolas Maduro. Trump has argued that controlling Greenland is crucial to US national security, claiming the island is under threat from Russian and Chinese ships. However, Denmark has denied these claims, stating that its military is capable of protecting the territory.
European leaders have rallied behind Denmark, with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte among others issuing a joint statement reaffirming Greenland's sovereignty. The Nordic foreign ministers have also expressed support for Greenland's right to self-determination, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that threats against NATO allies undermine the alliance's credibility.
The US has dismissed concerns about Danish sovereignty, with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stating that the US would use "strength" and "power" to achieve its goals. However, this stance has been met with criticism from some Republicans, including Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, who have called for respect for treaty obligations and the sovereignty of Denmark.
A potential US takeover of Greenland would mark a significant shift in Washington's foreign policy, undermining principles established since World War II that countries should be able to determine their own fate. Analysts argue that such an action would also undermine the NATO alliance and render Trump's foreign policy "incoherent."
. I mean, I get it, US national security is a big deal, but come on, can't we just respect other countries' sovereignty? 
It feels like the US is trying to flex its muscles and prove something, instead of actually thinking about the consequences. And what's with all these claims about Russian and Chinese ships threatening Greenland? 
That just sounds like a bunch of excuses to me 
. I'm all for the Nordic countries standing up for themselves, but at the same time, we need to be careful not to escalate things into a bigger mess 
. Can't we just try to understand each other's perspectives and find a peaceful solution? 
Norway? Canada? It's Denmark's turf, not ours 
Trump thinks he can just bully everyone and get away with it? Not buying it 
US-NATO alliance is already fragile enough without adding this drama 
and all these eurpean leaders are like "no way dude" 
i'm kinda surprised some republicans aren't speaking up against this... like what's the point of being in politics if you're just gonna let trump do whatever he wants? 
i mean, is it even worth fighting over? we have more pressing issues in the world. can someone explain to me how this all started again? was there a specific event that made trump wanna claim greeland or something? and whats with the whole russians and chinese ships thing? are they just trying to cover up somethin'?
. he said that danish ppl are super strong and stuff. but for real tho, whats the point of takin over another country? isnt that just a recipe for disaster?
It's not just about national security or whatever, it's also about respecting other countries' sovereignty and following international laws. 
Trump's words are kinda alarming because they sound like he's gonna use force to get what he wants... 
We should all be supporting each other on this one. 
I cant even imagine what trump would do if he actually took over greenland it sounds like a total disaster for europe 
. What's in it for them? Is it just about showing off and being all 'tough guy' 
. I mean, NATO is still intact, Greenland's got a solid government, and Denmark has the UK's back if needed 
.