Trump Claims Greenland Should Be Under U.S. Control, Drawing Backlash from Denmark

U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited his claim that Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, should be under American control, reviving the argument after several months of silence.
As the Danish Prime Minister hit back by urging the ally to respect its sovereignty, observers suggest that the conflict over Greenland, which had been dormant for months, may be resurfacing.
On July 7 (local time), President Trump, who arrived in Ankara, Türkiye, to attend the NATO summit, brought up the issue of Greenland in front of reporters.
Referring to Greenland as the reason for "damaging the relationship between (the U.S.) and NATO," he reiterated his past claim, stating, "Greenland is a place that should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who is also in Ankara for the NATO summit, responded immediately.
Prime Minister Frederiksen expressed her displeasure with President Trump's remarks indirectly, stating that she expects allies to respect Denmark's sovereignty and to accept that Greenland is not for sale.
President Trump, arguing that Greenland—a strategic location in the Arctic Circle rich in mineral resources like rare earth elements—is essential for U.S. security, had previously expressed a willingness to take the territory even by force in January, causing friction with Denmark and other European NATO allies.
As tensions across the Atlantic escalated sharply due to strong European opposition to his annexation ambitions, President Trump stepped back, stating he would resolve the Greenland issue through diplomacy.
Since then, trilateral negotiations between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland have been underway.
Denmark and Greenland have maintained a watchful eye, suspecting that President Trump has not abandoned his ambitions for Greenland.
Meanwhile, according to the dpa news agency, the Danish Ministry of Defense announced on the same day that it would introduce two U.S.-made maritime patrol aircraft to strengthen its surveillance capabilities in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions, including Greenland.
The Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft that Denmark intends to purchase from the U.S. is considered a model specialized in monitoring vast maritime areas and detecting enemy submarines.
Jeppe Bruus, the Danish Minister of Defense, emphasized, "The introduction of the new maritime patrol aircraft will significantly enhance Denmark's ability to defend its sovereignty and improve surveillance capabilities in the region," adding, "This measure is also a clear signal that we are seriously fulfilling our responsibilities for collective defense within NATO."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.