Donald Trump, the President of the United States, emphasized that the United States must "take control" of Greenland to prevent possible actions by Russia and China in the region.
At a press conference on Friday, in response to a question from the BBC, Trump stated: "Countries should own their territory and protect it, not rent it. We will have to protect Greenland."
He added that the U.S. could act in a "light" or "hard" way. Recently, the White House confirmed that it is considering the possibility of acquiring this semi-autonomous territory, which is part of Denmark and NATO, although a scenario involving annexation is not ruled out.
However, Denmark and Greenland insist that the sale of the territory is impossible. Danish authorities warned that the use of force would lead to the destruction of the transatlantic defense alliance.
Greenland, despite its small population, occupies a strategically important position between North America and the Arctic, making it ideal for deploying early warning systems for potential missile attacks and monitoring maritime traffic.
Trump has repeatedly stated the strategic importance of Greenland for U.S. security, claiming that "Russian and Chinese ships are everywhere" patrolling these waters without any evidence.
Currently, more than 100 U.S. military personnel are permanently stationed at the Pituffik base, located in northwestern Greenland, which has been under U.S. control since World War II.
According to current agreements with Denmark, the U.S. has the right to deploy troops to Greenland in unlimited numbers. However, Trump noted that this is not enough.
“It’s impossible to sign nine-year or even hundred-year agreements,” he said, emphasizing the need for full ownership rights.
“I respect the people of China and Russia,” Trump added, “but I do not wish to see them as neighbors in Greenland; that will not happen.”
Speaking about NATO, he noted that the alliance must understand this.
This week, NATO countries, including major European allies and Canada, expressed support for Denmark, emphasizing that "only Denmark and Greenland have the right to make decisions about their relations."
They also highlighted that security in the Arctic should be ensured through the joint efforts of allies, including the U.S., while adhering to the principles of the UN Charter regarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The question of Greenland's future has become relevant again after Trump used force against Venezuela to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.
Recall that in 2019, during his first term, Trump already expressed a desire to buy the island, but he was told that it was not for sale.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to negotiate with Denmark next week.
In recent years, interest in Greenland's natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron, has significantly increased, especially in light of climate change, which facilitates access to these resources. Scientists also suggest the presence of significant oil and gas reserves.
Leaders of Greenlandic parties, including the opposition, in a joint statement on Friday again called for an end to the "disrespectful attitude of the U.S. towards our country."
“We do not want to be Americans and do not want to be Danes; we want to remain Greenlanders. The future of Greenland should be decided by the Greenlanders themselves,” they stated.
