Frederiksen's statement was a reaction to Trump's interview published in The Atlantic magazine, where he reiterated the need for control over Greenland. "We absolutely need Greenland. It is important for our defense," Trump noted. He added that "other parties should determine what intervention in Venezuela means in the context of Greenland."
Trump characterized Greenland as a territory under pressure from Russia and China. The Atlantic also reported that the U.S. president described the island as "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships."
Frederiksen reminded that both Denmark and Greenland are NATO members and are under the alliance's protection. The existing defense agreement between the U.S. and Denmark provides Washington access to Greenland, and Copenhagen is also increasing investments in security in the Arctic region.
Trump has repeatedly raised the issue of the possibility of Greenland joining the U.S., pointing to the strategic importance of the island and its rich mineral resources. However, the authorities of both Denmark and Greenland have consistently rejected these proposals.
On Saturday, U.S. special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. Western media speculate that after this event, Trump may shift his focus to other foreign policy directions, including the issue of Greenland.
In a phone interview, Trump confirmed that "we absolutely need Greenland," and hinted that Venezuela may not be the last country the U.S. intervenes in. He described Greenland as "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships."
During the same conversation on January 4, Trump threatened that the current head of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, would pay a "high price" for not cooperating with the U.S., adding that "the price will probably be higher than Maduro's."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already hinted at the possibility of intervention in Cuba, and according to expert Mariano Aguirre Ernst from Chatham House, discussions about Greenland have not subsided either.
According to Ernst, Trump believes that the U.S. should fully control "its" region, and the world should be divided between the U.S., China, and Russia. "For Trump, this region stretches from Greenland to Patagonia, and they are striving for complete control," he noted, adding that the U.S. wants to control resources, particularly minerals.
A recent provocative post by Katie Miller, the wife of a Trump advisor, sparked negative reactions in Denmark. After the military operation in Venezuela, she posted on social media X a map of Greenland in the colors of the U.S. flag with the caption "Coming Soon."
Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Møller Sørensen stated: "My country demands respect for its territorial integrity." He added that Denmark and the U.S. are "close allies and should continue to act as such."
Greenland, as an autonomous territory of Denmark, is located in the Arctic. Since the beginning of his second presidential term, Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed the intention to annex Greenland to the U.S. for national security reasons. At the end of 2025, the White House appointed a special envoy for Greenland, who promised to work on making the island part of the U.S. This provoked negative reactions both in Denmark and Greenland.
