US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a fresh warning on Greenland, threatening the prime minister of the North Atlantic island for backing Denmark.“That’s their problem. I disagree with them. I don’t know who he is. Don’t know anything about him, but that’s going to be a big problem for him,” Trump said when asked about Greenland’s PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen’s commitment to Denmark. Nielsen had dismissed the prospect of Greenland becoming a US territory.
“We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the US and Denmark here and now, then we choose Denmark,” Nielsen told news agency Reuters in Copenhagen on Tuesday, standing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. “We stand united in the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said.Greenland’s political landscape appears to be shifting, with leaders and residents focusing on long-term independence rather than immediate autonomy.“In the current circumstances, I think it would be wise for Greenland to commit to Denmark for a very, very long time and remain under the Nato security umbrella,” said Finn Meinel, a Nuuk-based lawyer.Trump has openly been pushing for the United States to acquire Greenland, dismissing Denmark’s role and warning that the Arctic island could otherwise fall under Russian or Chinese influence.Asked whether he had made a tangible offer to Greenland or Denmark, Trump replied, “I haven’t done that. But Greenland should make the deal because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over.”While speaking to reporters, Trump claimed that Greenland should make a deal because its existing defences were minimal.“Do you know what their defense is? Two dog sleds. In the meantime, you have Russian destroyers and submarines and China destroyers and submarines all over the place. We’re not going to let that happen,” he said.“And if it affects Nato, and then it affects Nato, but you know, they need us much more than we need them,” he added.On whether the US would expand its military presence on the island in the interim, Trump said American forces were already stationed there. “We have bases on Greenland. Yeah. A lot of soldiers there right now, if I want,” he said, but added that this was insufficient.“But you need more than that. You need ownership. You really have. You really need title,” Trump said.Meanwhile, Denmark’s prime minister said her country faces a “decisive moment” amid Trump’s repeated threats.Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has repeatedly rejected previous US advances, while Copenhagen has maintained that the island is not for sale.Trump has directed senior special forces commanders to begin preparing “contingency plans for a possible invasion of Greenland”, reported the Daily Mail.The move, however, has reportedly run into resistance from top military officials who are questioning both its legality and political feasibility.According to the report, Trump has asked the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to draft an invasion plan. However, the proposal is said to be facing pushback from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who argue that any such operation would be unlawful and lack congressional backing.“The generals think Trump’s Greenland plan is crazy and illegal. So they are trying to deflect him with other major military operations. They say it’s like dealing with a five-year-old,” a diplomatic told the Mail.“They have tried to distract Trump by talking about less controversial measures, such as intercepting Russian ‘ghost’ ships – a clandestine network of hundreds of vessels operated by Moscow to evade Western sanctions – or launching a strike on Iran,” a source told the Mail.
