President Donald Trump reportedly took aim at Denmark on Sunday, mocking the country’s reported efforts to bolster security around Greenland and reiterating his long-held view that the United States has a strategic need for the territory.
Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was fielding questions about the broader implications of the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Friday. While the discussion initially focused on Venezuela and other global hotspots, the topic turned to Greenland and Denmark’s response to Trump’s repeated comments about the island.
When first pressed on Greenland, Trump appeared momentarily surprised by the question. “How did we come up to Greenland?” he asked, before suggesting the focus should remain on more immediate geopolitical concerns. “Well, I don’t want to talk about Greenland. Let’s talk about Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine. We’ll worry about Greenland in about two months. Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”
Despite that attempt to move on, the president quickly returned to the issue, once again laying out his argument that Greenland is critical to U.S. national security. Trump said the island’s strategic location makes it vital for American defense interests, particularly in light of what he described as increased activity by foreign powers.
“By the way, I will say this about Greenland. We need Greenland from a national security situation. It’s so strategic,” Trump said. He claimed that Russian and Chinese ships are operating throughout the region and argued that Denmark lacks the capacity to adequately secure the territory.
“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you that,” the president added.
Trump then turned to ridicule Denmark’s response to his statements, suggesting that Copenhagen’s efforts to enhance security were laughably insufficient. “You know what Denmark did recently to boost up security on Greenland?” Trump said. “They added one more dog sled. It’s true. They thought that was a great move.”
The remark drew attention not only for its bluntness but also for highlighting Trump’s frustration with Danish leaders, who have consistently rejected any suggestion that the United States could or should acquire Greenland. The president has previously argued that the island is essential “for defense” purposes and has repeatedly said it is being surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships, a point he also made recently in an interview with The Atlantic’s Michael Scherer.
Trump’s comments prompted swift pushback from Denmark. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a strongly worded statement on Sunday, calling Trump’s threats nonsensical and reiterating that the United States has no legal authority to annex any part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland.
The diplomatic tension was further underscored by remarks from Denmark’s ambassador to the United States. Jesper Møller Sørensen publicly responded to a social media post by Katie Miller, the wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Miller had shared an image of Greenland overlaid with the American flag and the word “SOON,” echoing Trump’s rhetoric.
Sørensen replied with what he described as a “friendly reminder” that Greenland expects full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump’s comments on Sunday fit a familiar pattern: a mix of blunt humor, sharp criticism of allies, and an unapologetic emphasis on American strategic interests. While Danish officials continue to reject his claims outright, the president has made clear that Greenland remains firmly on his radar as part of his broader view of U.S. national security priorities.
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