In brief
President Donald Trump insists that the U.S. must take ownership of Greenland to prevent Russia and China from asserting control over the territory. He suggested that ownership is essential for effective defense, and remarked that military action could be considered to secure Greenland. Denmark and Greenland have strongly opposed this notion, emphasizing their sovereignty and calling for the future of Greenland to be decided by its people. This statement raises significant international relations concerns amid increased interest in the island's resources.
President Donald Trump says the US needs to own Greenland to prevent Russia and China from doing so.
Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don't defend leases. And we'll have to defend Greenland, Trump told reporters on Friday, in response to a question from the BBC.
The US will do it the easy way or the hard way, he added. The White House recently said the administration was considering buying the semi-autonomous territory of fellow NATO member Denmark, but would not rule out the option of annexing it by force.
Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale. Denmark has said military action would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defense alliance.
Greenland's party leaders, including the opposition, reiterated their call for the US's disregard for our country to end in a joint statement on Friday night.
We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders, they said. The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.
Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it well suited for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.
The US president has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.
Concerns over the future of the territory resurfaced after Trump's use of military force against Venezuela on Saturday to seize its president, Nicolás Maduro. Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, only to be told it was not for sale.
In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland's natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron, which are becoming easier to access as its ice melts due to climate change.
