U.S. President Donald Trump on friday suggested he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t support teh U.S. controlling Greenland, as a bipartisan Congressional delegation worked to ease tensions in Copenhagen.Trump has for months insisted the U.S. should control greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, calling anything less “unacceptable.” During an event at the White House, he revealed he might impose tariffs on countries that don’t support a U.S. claim on the island, citing national security concerns.
earlier this week, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of state Marco Rubio met with the foreign ministers of denmark and Greenland. While the meeting didn’t resolve “deep differences,” it led to an agreement to form a working group, though both the White House and Denmark offered differing interpretations of its purpose.
European leaders maintain that decisions regarding Greenland are solely for Denmark and Greenland to make, with Denmark increasing its military presence in Greenland in coordination with allies.In Copenhagen, a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators and representatives met with Danish and Greenlandic lawmakers, including Danish Prime Minister Mette frederiksen. Delegation leader Sen. Chris Coons emphasized the long-standing alliance,while sen. Lisa Murkowski stressed the need to view Greenland as an ally, not an asset, noting that most Americans oppose a U.S. acquisition of the territory. Murkowski also highlighted legislation she co-sponsored to prevent the use of U.S. funds to annex Greenland or the territory of any NATO member without their consent.The White House has not ruled out taking the territory by force, justifying its interest by citing potential threats from China and Russia and Greenland’s vast mineral reserves. Though, Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic politician, argued that the real threats are coming from the U.S.
The dispute is substantially impacting Greenlanders.Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, stated the country would choose Denmark, NATO, and the EU over the United States. Sara Olsvig, chair of the inuit Circumpolar Council, criticized the White House’s statements, saying they reveal a concerning view of Indigenous peoples and smaller populations, and that Inuit in greenland do not want to be recolonized.
