Greenland’s government has rejected President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States could gain sovereignty over land hosting a key Arctic military base, calling the idea unacceptable.
Trump Floats US Sovereignty Over Arctic Base
On Sunday, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister of industry, energy, law enforcement and equality, said that any proposal involving U.S. ownership of Greenlandic territory crosses a clear boundary.
“Giving up sovereignty is not on the table for now,” Nathanielsen told USA Today, describing Trump’s reported push as a “red line.”
Last week, Trump told the New York Post that the U.S. would secure control over the land occupied by Pituffik Space Base, a critical installation for missile defense and space surveillance.
“We’ll have everything we want,” he said, adding that “some interesting talks” were underway.
US-Greenland Deal Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Last week, President Trump announced a “framework” deal over Greenland, discussed with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, which recognized Denmark’s authority and proposed updates to the 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement.
The updates aimed to enhance U.S. military operations, support NATO in the Arctic, and counter Russian and Chinese influence, while potentially giving the U.S. veto power over Greenland’s mineral investments.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump emphasized Greenland as a core U.S. national security interest and argued that full ownership was essential, calling the island a strategic choke point critical to missile defense and NATO’s northern security.
He insisted the focus was on defense, not minerals.
Earlier this month, Greenland’s leaders rejected Trump’s ambitions, with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and party leaders saying, “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a U.S. takeover could threaten NATO.
The dispute highlighted the geopolitical stakes of U.S. interest in Greenland and the tension between strategic defense priorities and national sovereignty.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ M21Perfect
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