After Venezuela, it's Greenland and Denmark's Turn to Worry About Trump's Annexation

Due to Venezuela, Greenland and Denmark are now concerned about the behavior of United States President Donald Trump. They are urging Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, which is part of Denmark. They fear they may face a similar fate as Venezuela.

Trump again expressed his desire to take over Greenland in an interview with The Atlantic magazine on Sunday (January 4, 2026), a day after the US arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He boasted of "running" Venezuela. Trump repeatedly raised the possibility of Greenland becoming part of the US, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.

"We do need Greenland, of course. We need it for defense. Greenland is surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships," said Trump on Sunday.

It is not only Trump's threats that are causing panic in Denmark. A post by right-wing podcast host, Katie Miller, on X featured a map of Greenland colored in the colors of the US flag, accompanied by the word "SOON." Katie is the wife of one of Trump's aides, Stephen Miller.

Denmark and Greenland are outraged. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized that it is completely unreasonable for the United States to take over Greenland. "The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Kingdom of Denmark. I urge the United States to stop threatening allies that have historically been close and other countries or nations that have clearly stated they do not wish to be taken over," she stated.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also emphasized that Trump does not respect the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark. He deemed Miller's post as disrespectful. "International relations and communities are built on the basis of mutual respect and international law. Not on the basis of symbolic gestures that disregard our status and rights," he wrote on X.

However, he also wrote, "There is no reason to panic or worry. Our country is not for sale. Our future is not determined by social media posts."

The Danish Ambassador to the US, Jesper Møller Sørensen, reposted Miller's provocation with a "friendly reminder" about the long-standing defense relationship between the two countries. Denmark is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is protected by security guarantees from NATO.

Denmark has a defense agreement with the US that grants it access to Greenland. "We are close allies and must continue to cooperate in that manner. The security of the US is also the security of Greenland and Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic," he wrote.

He mentioned that Denmark has increased its defense budget for 2025. Denmark has allocated 13.7 billion US dollars that can be used in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

Trump recently appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy for Greenland. He promised to make Greenland a part of the United States. This has sparked anger in Denmark.

Greenland has a population of 57,000, the majority of whom are indigenous Inuit. It is located approximately 3,000 kilometers from Denmark. Greenland has had extensive self-government since 1979, although defense and foreign policy remain under the control of Denmark.

Greenland was a former Danish colony for approximately 300 years. They have the right to declare independence based on the 2009 agreement, but are heavily dependent on Danish subsidies.

The BBC edition of March 24, 2025, states that most of Greenland remains isolated and impoverished, despite being the largest island in the world that is not a continent. Approximately 80 percent of its area is covered by ice, and the majority of its population resides around the capital, Nuuk.

The economy of Greenland is based on fisheries. Subsidies from the Government of Denmark contribute approximately one-fifth of the gross domestic product. In 1953, Greenland became part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the people of Greenland became Danish citizens.

In 1979, a referendum on self-governance granted Greenland control over most policies in the region. However, Denmark retained control over foreign affairs and defense.

Over the past year, Denmark has been working to improve its strained relationship with Greenland. The majority of Greenland's population supports independence from Denmark. However, a poll conducted in January 2025 indicates that the people of Greenland do not wish to become part of the United States.

The BBC also notes the long history of relations between the United States and Greenland. In 1867, after purchasing Alaska from Russia, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward led negotiations to buy Greenland from Denmark. However, he failed to reach any agreement.

In 1946, the United States offered to pay 100 million dollars (equivalent to 1.2 billion dollars today) for Greenland, but Denmark rejected the offer. Trump also attempted to purchase Greenland during his first presidential term (2017-2021).

Both Denmark and Greenland rejected the 2019 proposal, saying, "Greenland is not for sale."

Greenland's position is strategic as it lies between Europe and North America. This is an important location for the U.S. ballistic missile defense system. Its mineral wealth is also attractive, and the U.S. hopes this can reduce dependence on exports from China.

In recent years, interest in Greenland's natural resources has increased, including the mining of rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron. These resources may become more accessible as global warming causes some of the ice covering Greenland to melt.

Greenland is home to the northernmost US military base, located in Pituffik. US Vice President JD Vance visited there last March.

During the transition of his presidency and in the early months of his return to the White House, Trump repeatedly called for U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland. He did not rule out the use of military force to take control of Greenland.

The United States has long had interests in Greenland. After Nazi Germany occupied the Danish mainland during World War II, the United States invaded Greenland. The United States established military and radio stations throughout the region.

After the war, US forces remained in Greenland. The Pituffik Space Base, previously known as Thule Air Base, has been operated by the US since then.

In 1951, a defense agreement with Denmark granted the United States a significant role in the defense of the region, including the right to build and maintain military bases. "If Russia sends missiles towards the United States, the shortest route for nuclear weapons is through the Arctic and Greenland. That is why the Pituffik Space Base is crucial in supporting the United States," said Associate Professor at the Royal Danish Defense College Marc Jacobsen.

According to a paper from the Arctic Institute, China and Russia have begun to build their Arctic military capabilities in recent years. The paper calls for the United States to further develop its presence in the Arctic to counter its competitors.