Don't want to be Americans: Greenland parties reject Trump pressure as he warns of 'hard way' to secure island
They also urged the United States to stop treating Greenland dismissively and respect its right to self-determination. “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders,” the statement added.
Rejecting renewed claims by US President Donald Trump, political leaders from across Greenland’s parliament have issued a rare joint statement. Leaders of all five parties in the Inatsisartut came together on Friday to underline that Greenland’s future lies solely in the hands of its people, not foreign powers. In the statement, the parties made it clear that they do not seek control by either Washington or Copenhagen.
“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the leaders said.
They also urged the United States to stop treating Greenland dismissively and respect its right to self-determination. “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders,” the statement added.
Trump’s continued strategic interest
The joint response came after President Trump once again expressed interest in bringing Greenland under US control. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he pointed to the island’s strategic location in the Arctic and warned against growing influence from global rivals.
“We’re going to do something about Greenland, whether people like it or not,” Trump said, adding that the US would not allow China or Russia to gain a foothold so close to American interests.
“We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour,” he stated.
While Trump said he would prefer a negotiated solution, his remarks also hinted at tougher options if talks failed.
“I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” he said. Such comments have revived concerns in Europe, as Trump has previously refused to rule out economic or military pressure to achieve his goals.
Denmark rejects any threat to sovereignty
Denmark, which oversees Greenland’s foreign and defence affairs, has again dismissed Trump’s assertions. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any move against Greenland would damage NATO unity and undermine the global security framework established after World War II.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is home to around 57,000 people and is largely covered by ice.