Since his 2024 re-election, Trump has threatened several times to invade Greenland and promoted falsehoods about the island's history and contemporary security.[5] He has expressed disdain for international law and expressed willingness to choose seizing Greenland over preserving NATO,[6] linking his attitude to not having been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.[7] The official Danish threat assessment, published by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service in 2025, for the first time in its history mentioned the United States as a threat to national security, alongside Russia and China.[8][9] Danish intelligence has warned that Greenland is being targeted by "various kinds of influence campaigns" by foreign actors aligned with Trump.[10]
The Greenlandic and Danish prime ministers rejected any prospect of US takeover.[11] The Danish government confirmed that any troops in Greenland would defend Danish territory in the event of an attack[12] and the Ministry of Defence said Danish troops would immediately respond to an invasion of Greenland with force.[13]Rasmus Jarlov, the chair of the Defence Committee, said that Denmark would defend its territory and invoke Article 5 of NATO if attacked by the US.[14] EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius said a US invasion of Greenland would be the end of NATO and that EU members would be under obligation to come to Denmark's assistance.[15] Denmark and eight NATO allies have deployed military reinforcements to Greenland as part of Operation Arctic Endurance to defend the territory.[16] In response, Trump launched a trade war with the EU.[17] As a result, EU leaders said the approval of the proposed EU–US trade agreement cannot proceed[18] and discussed the unprecedented use of the Anti-Coercion Instrument against the US.[19]
Large protests against the US occurred in 2025 in Greenland,[20][21] and again with the "Hands off Greenland" protests in both Greenland and Denmark in 2026.[22] "Greenland is not for sale" became a major slogan in anti-Trump protests.[23]YouGov found only 8% of Americans support Trump's threatened invasion of Greenland[24] and a bipartisan US congressional delegation travelled to Copenhagen in a show of support.[25][26]
Greenland is part of the Nordic region.Royal Danish Navy frigate HDMSAbsalon(F341) off the coast of GreenlandGreenland's head of state, King Frederik X, and the Greenland prime minister Múte Bourup Egede visit Pituffik Space Base and are greeted on the runway by US base commander Jason Terry, with Greenlandic, Danish, and US flags in the background, 29 June 2024. The King and the Prime Minister made a stop at the base when travelling to Qaanaaq in the north of Greenland and are wearing traditional Greenlandic blue anoraks.
Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Kingdom of Denmark, and has been associated with the Scandinavian kingdoms of Denmark and Norway for more than a millennium, beginning in 986 when Norse settlers from what is now Norway and Iceland settled Greenland.[27] The 13th century saw the arrival of the Inuit, who are today's majority population alongside a smaller Danish population, and many people are of mixed Inuit and Danish origin. Greenlanders, EU citizens, often have close family and cultural ties to Denmark, with thousands living there.[28]
Greenland became part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1261, which then entered a union with Denmark in 1380. Under the 1814 Treaty of Kiel, Greenland remained with the Danish Crown as part of the settlement with Sweden following the Napoleonic Wars. In the Treaty of the Danish West Indies, signed in 1916, the US government explicitly recognised Danish sovereignty over all of Greenland. Denmark declared full sovereignty over all of Greenland in 1921, in the aftermath of the Treaty of Versailles.[29] In 1933, Norway, which had occupied part of Eastern Greenland up until then, accepted a ruling of the Permanent Court of International Justice affirming Danish sovereignty over all of Greenland and renounced its claim.
The 1953 Constitution of Denmark ended Greenland's status as a colony, integrating it fully into the Danish state as a regular county, as part of decolonization efforts and with the consent of the Greenland Provincial Council.[29] In the 1979 Greenlandic home rule referendum, Denmark granted home rule to Greenland, leading to the establishment of a local government authority with responsibility for local matters, but Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with the central government in Copenhagen solely responsible for defence and foreign policy. In 2009, Greenland was recognised under international law as a People entitled to external self-determination.[29]
As part of the Nordic region and the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is an associate member of the Nordic Council. Greenland is one of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union (EU). Denmark is one of the twelve original founding member states of NATO and signed the Greenland Defense Agreement with the US in 1951, allowing the US military to operate in Greenland with Danish consent under a NATO framework.[30] In that agreement, the US unambiguously recognized the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark over all of Greenland.[31] At its peak, approximately 10,000 US military personnel were stationed in Greenland, including about 6,000 at what is now Pituffik Space Base. After the Cold War, Greenland became a lower strategic priority for the US, which gradually reduced its presence to roughly 150 personnel by 2026.[32]
Denmark stepped up its Arctic defence and led a large NATO exercise in Greenland in 2025.[33] The exercise involved more than 550 soldiers, including special forces, from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, and Germany.[34][35] The Nordic countries also collaborate on Arctic defence through NATO exercises conducted across the region, such as the Joint Viking exercise in 2025.[36] In 2025, Denmark announced a 14.6billionkr. plan to boost Arctic defence.[37]
Greenland is under the military command of the Joint Arctic Commander, Danish general Søren Andersen.[38] The Arctic Command has around 150 permanent personnel, but regularly deploys units from across the Danish Defence forces, including the Arctic Response Force with aircraft and ships that stand ready to support forces in Greenland.[39] The Sirius Dog Sled Patrol special forces unit operates around Daneborg in the northeast of Greenland, a national park, but only comprises a small part of Danish and allied military capabilities in Greenland.[39] As of 2026, NATO members are in discussions about establishing a permanent NATO mission in Greenland, Arctic Sentry, modelled on the Baltic Sentry, following a proposal by Germany.[40]Law enforcement in Greenland employs around 350 people.[41]
During the first Trump administration, United States president Donald Trump said that the US should buy Greenland. The governments of Denmark and Greenland clarified that Greenland is not for sale and cannot be sold under the Danish constitution, and the Danish government has always rejected such proposals, which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called "an absurd discussion".[2] Greenland has invited US investment, stating that "we're open for business, not for sale".[42]
US actions against Greenland and Denmark
US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance during an uninvited one-day visit to Pituffik Space Base on 28 March 2025. After their visit, the base commander Susannah Meyers was fired for distancing herself and the base from the US threats against Greenland.
Since his reelection in 2024, Trump has several times threatened Greenland and Denmark, refusing to rule out an invasion of the country, and engaged in actions and comments seen as provocations against Denmark. Before taking office in 2025, Trump declared he would not exclude using economic or military force against Greenland, saying he needs Greenland.[43]
According to Danmarks Radio, Trump's plans to take over Greenland was divided into three main phases, starting from December 2024: a charm offensive, pressure on the Danish government, and Greenlandic societal infiltration.[44]
2025
In January 2025, Donald Trump Jr. went on a private visit to Greenland. Greenlandic media reported that Trump's entourage passed out MAGA hats to locals and attempted to speak to residents on a speakerphone.[45][46]Pipaluk Lynge, a Greenlandic member of parliament, called the visit "staged".[46]
In February, a bill was introduced in the US Congress by Republican congressman Buddy Carter to advance efforts to annex Greenland and rename it Red, White, and Blueland. It was described as absurd and damaging to Danish–US relations by Danish politicians.[47][48]
In March 2025, the US Vice President JD Vance visited, without invitation, the Pituffik Space Base, and gave a speech about how Denmark had failed Greenlanders.[44] The visit was condemned by Greenlandic and Danish politicians, and described as a provocation.[49][50][51][52][53] In connection with the visit, commander Susannah Meyers, the highest-ranking US officer in Greenland, said the Trump administration's threats against the Kingdom of Denmark "are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base". In response, Meyers was fired by Trump.[54][55]
In April 2025, media reported a plan by the Trump administration to interfere via social media, advertising, and promotions in Greenlandic society with the goal of persuading the Greenlanders to secede from Denmark.[56][10] In 2025, US influencers were handing out dollar bills in the streets of Nuuk.[57]
In August 2025, Danmarks Radio (DR) reported that at least three American men with connections to Trump were being monitored by the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) for attempting to infiltrate Greenland, with the purpose of creating discord between Greenland and Denmark by exploiting existing or fabricated disagreements.[44][58] DR knows the name of the three men; however, it chose not to release them to the public for source protection reasons.[44]
In December 2025, Trump said he appointed Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland.[59] The role was described as informal and one-sided.[60] Landry said he would work to make Greenland part of the US[61] and intended to attend, uninvited, a traditional dog sled race.[62] Denmark summoned the American ambassador, Ken Howery[63] and Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called Landry's statements "completely unacceptable", adding, "we insist that everyone–including the US–must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark".[64][65]
Right after the 2026 United States strikes in Venezuela, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stated that the US has the right to take Greenland.[66][67] His wife Katie Miller also published a map of Greenland covered in the US flag with the words "SOON", which drew widespread condemnation.[68][69] US Republican senator Thom Tillis called Stephen Miller's remarks "amateurish" and "absurd".[70]
On 6 January 2026, the Trump administration threatened military action to take control of Greenland as an option.[71] An anonymous senior US official said that "diplomacy is always the president's first option with everything, and dealmaking. He loves deals", while Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the goal is to buy the island from Denmark.[72]
Trump ordered the Joint Special Operations Command to make plans for what he called a "possible invasion of Greenland". The move was met with resistance from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[73] Several members of Trump's party have also promoted proposals in the US Congress to unilaterally declare the annexation of Greenland, including proposals to rename Greenland Red, White, and Blueland after the colours of the US flag.
On 9 January 2026, Trump claimed that "I don't need international law" and that it "may be a choice" for the US between seizing Greenland or preserving NATO.[6] Trump said existing treaty rights are insufficient, arguing that full ownership is "psychologically needed for success".[6] Later that day, Trump threatened that the US would "do something" on Greenland "whether they like it or not".[74][75] and that he would take Greenland "the hard way" if Denmark does not give up its territory,[76] claiming that "the fact [Denmark] had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean they own the land".[77]
On 12 January 2026, Trump claimed that "One way or the other, we are going to have Greenland" and that "we're talking about acquiring, not leasing, not having it short-term".[78] On the same day, Republican congressman Randy Fine proposed that the US annexes Greenland, in what he called The Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act.[79][80] In response to the Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated that Greenland had no wish to become part of the US, Trump proceeded to threaten him and denied he knew him.[81][82][83]
On 13 January, Trump officials again threatened that the US president could take action against Greenland within weeks.[84]
Letter from Donald Trump to Norway that Trump shared with numerous heads of state and ambassadors
Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a "right of ownership" anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT[85]
On 14 January 2026, Trump posted on his website TruthSocial "NATO: Tell Denmark to get them out of here, NOW!" and reiterated false claims that the Danish Defence forces protecting Greenland consists of "two dogsleds".[86][87]
In a message to the Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre on 18 January that Trump asked be shared with several other ambassadors and world leaders, he reiterated his demand for "Complete and Total Control of Greenland [''his capitalisation'']" and ascribed his own attitude to not being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, writing that he no longer feels an "obligation to think purely of Peace".[90][91][85] Støre said that "I have several times clearly explained to Trump what is well known, namely that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, that awards the prize."[92] The letter from Trump was described as "unhinged and embarrassing" by Democratic senator Andy Kim.[92] On 19 January, Trump again refused to rule out invading Greenland.[93]
Analysis
Use of hybrid warfare
The Trump administration's actions against Greenland and Denmark, initially referred to as the Greenland crisis,[1] have been described by academics and commentators as hybrid warfare,[94][58][95][96] a broad umbrella concept that may include the use of political warfare, fake news, diplomacy, lawfare, regime change, and foreign electoral intervention, among other methods. Greenland was united in condemnation of the US,[97] describing it as "an entirely new and unsettling situation",[98] given that Greenland lacked realistic countermeasures.[99]
Danish media interviewed several experts who said that the US actions against Greenland clearly amount to hybrid warfare.[3] André Ken Jakobsson, a researcher on hybrid warfare, said, already in the spring of 2025, that "the tools the United States uses to achieve its objectives [in Greenland] also fall within the gray zone typically associated with hybrid warfare".[100] Jakobsson believes the United States is now deliberately seeking to fracture the Kingdom of Denmark with the use of intelligence agencies[98] and that the US has been using all of its means short of conventional war in its campaign to try to get Greenland.[101]
Speaking on US hybrid warfare and espionage, DR commentator Niels Fastrup said that the US has shifted from an attempt to buy Greenland in 2019 to hybrid influence operations, conducted by private individuals close to Trump.[102] Swedish foreign affairs commentator and terrorism expert Wolfgang Hansson[sv] compared Trump's actions to Russian hybrid warfare, stating that "Trump realized that taking over Greenland militarily would be expensive, risky, and look very bad, but hybrid warfare is cheap and easy to deny".[103]
Former head of the NATO Defense College, Arne Bård Dalhaug, said that Trump's threats against Greenland "comes across as a gift-wrapped present from Trump to Putin", allowing him free hands in Eastern Europe.[104] According to international relations scholar Iver B. Neumann, Trump is splitting the West on behalf of the Russians, which has been a key aim of Russian and Soviet foreign policy for years.[104]
Anders Puck Nielsen, a military analyst at the Royal Danish Defence College, and Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, agree that, if an American invasion of Greenland was carried out, it will be the end of NATO.[105][106] Nielsen emphasised that it is now clear Denmark can no longer rely on the US, and that the future lies in a European defence cooperation without US involvement.[105] Political scientist Bernt Hagtvet described Trump as "a cross between Emperor Bokassa and a mafia boss".[107]Kori Schake said it will take a generation to repair the damage and collapse of trust among the US's closest allies that Trump has caused.[108]Richard N. Haass said Europeans have come to see the US as a threat and no longer trust the US, and that Trump's actions are "turning upside down" what America has worked for over 75 years.[109] In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal said Trump was enabling "the fondest dream of Russian strategy... to divide Western Europe from the US and break the NATO alliance."[110]
European leaders warned that Trump's threats have fundamentally undermined trust in the United States as a security and economic partner, accelerating efforts to reduce reliance on them and to develop independent European defense, security, and political coordination structures.[111]
Some commentators have also linked the Greenland Crisis to Trump's threats against Canada. Former Premier of Ontario and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United NationsBob Rae stated that Trump "doesn't take Canada's sovereignty seriously", while former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Gerald Butts stated that, although he didn't believe Trump would invade Canada directly, "we're going to see a lot of threats, and we're going to see a lot of seeding of pro-American activity by the Americans in Canadian life".[112] NBC News reported in mid-January 2026 that, according to senior American officials, Trump was "privately ramping up his focus on another target in the Western Hemisphere, increasingly complaining to aides in recent weeks about Canada's vulnerability to US adversaries in the Arctic".[113]
Trump's threats have been described by Le Monde as turning the Greenlanders decidedly against the US. While Greenland is a longtime ally of the US with a traditionally positive view of the country, the view of the US has become strongly negative as a result of Trump's behaviour.[115]
Thomas Crosbie, a US military expert working at the Royal Danish Defence College, stated that any attempt to seize Greenland would constitute a criminal act, and that Denmark, with the backing of its allies, would have the legal right to arrest any Americans involved in such actions and prosecute them under Danish criminal law.[116]
Danish troops in Greenland are legally obligated to defend Danish territory under military law. Under a 1952 standing order, Danish troops are ordered to "immediately take up the fight without waiting for, or seeking orders" in "the event of an attack on Danish territory".[116][39] The Danish government confirmed the order remains in place and that Danish soldiers would shoot back if Greenland is attacked.[12] The Ministry of Defence said Danish troops would immediately respond to an invasion of Greenland with force and the chairman of the Defence Committee, Rasmus Jarlov, said Denmark would invoke Article 5 if attacked by the US.[13][14] Jarlov said a US attack would mean war with Denmark and that people would be shot.[117]As of January2026[update], Article 5 has been invoked only once in NATO history: in response to the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001, when Denmark volunteered "to fight alongside American soldiers in two different conflicts [... deploying] tens of thousands of troops to Afghanistan and Iraq over two decades [... suffering] the third-highest per capita casualty rate".[118]
On 16 and 17 June 2025, the governments of Greenland, Denmark, and the Faroe Islands participated in their biannual meeting in Tórshavn in light of the crisis.[119] While Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen didn't want to elaborate on her negotiations with Greenland and the Faroe Islands at the time, she called for unity among all three governments of the Kingdom of Denmark, with Faroese PM Aksel V. Johannesen calling for more foreign policy autonomy for the Faroe Islands.
In response to US threats against Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reminded Trump that an attack on the Kingdom of Denmark is an attack on NATO and that all members are obligated to come to Denmark's defence, urging the US to cease its threats,[120] which threaten the existence of NATO and the security framework established since the end of World War II.[121][122]
In response to American influence operations, both Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and King Frederik X visited the Danish territory.[57] After Trump resumed his threats in December 2025, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen insisted on the respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark".[64][65]
Danish politicians have called for closing the US consulate in Greenland over its role in undermining Danish sovereignty.[125] Former Danish foreign minister Per Stig Møller said Trump's behavior has destroyed the US relationship with Denmark and compared it to German demands on Polish territory in the 1930s.[126] Former Danish European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager called Trump's threats an existential threat for NATO and Europe.[127]
Greenland
Greenland's prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that Trump would not "get" Greenland.Danish politicians have called for the closure of the US consulate in Nuuk.
In response to US threats, Greenland's prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Trump would not "get" Greenland and that it is not for sale.[128][129] The US threats have caused a pause in independence discussions, which Nielsen promoted during the previous elections.[129] The PM stated that, "when faced with the choice between US and Denmark, Greenland chooses Denmark".[130]
A joint statement published by all parties in the Parliament of Greenland demanded that the US show respect and that they do not want to become part of the US,[131][21] that they "do not want to be Americans."[132][133][134]
Greenland has moved to ban foreign political funding in response to US interference.[135]
2025 and 2026 saw large demonstrations against the US in Greenland, with Greenlanders emphasizing that "we are not for sale".[136][20] Demonstrators carried placards bearing the slogans "no means no", "stop threatening us", and "Yankee go home!"[20][21]
On 12 January 2026, the government of Greenland issued a statement that they can "not under any circumstances" accept US demands for Greenland to become part of the US and that "Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark", underlining the role of NATO in its defence.[137] The government welcomed the initiative by six NATO members (reported to be the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain) to increase NATO activity in Greenland.[138][139][140]
In a joint statement on 13 January 2026, the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark said that Greenland was facing an "unacceptable pressure" campaign and a "geopolitical crisis" caused by the US. They said that Greenland is not under any circumstances for sale. Frederiksen said "our message is clear: Greenland is not for sale" and "you can't buy another people". Nielsen emphasised that talk about buying another people shows a lack of respect,[11][141] and that Greenland does not want to be owned nor governed by the US.[142]
Greenlandic politicians have welcomed a NATO mission in Greenland to protect the island following Trump's threats.[143]
Faroe Islands
On 21 November 2025, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen visited the Faroe Islands, where both parties discussed Faroese participation regarding the situation in Greenland.[144]
On 30 December 2025, the Faroese government implemented restrictive measures against persons, entities, and bodies who aim to "de-stabilize[sic]EU-member States [...] by the means of, among others, cyber attacks, obstruction or undermining of the democratic political process, surveillance, sabotage of critical infrastructure, encompassed under the term 'hybrid threats'", starting from 1 January 2026.[145]
Other Arctic nations
Russia
Russia affirmed that it considers Greenland to be a Danish territory and accused Western powers of exhibiting double standards.[146]
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev jokingly suggested Trump should "hurry up" or Greenland might choose to join Russia instead.[147] Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was monitoring the situation, calling it "extraordinary" and "unusual".[148]
Iceland
On 5 January 2026, RÚV reported that Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir had expressed support for Greenland and Denmark, though she did not mention the United States or Donald Trump outright.[149] On the same day, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, wrote on Vísir that while Iceland's bilateral defence agreement with the US remains unchanged, she advises the nation to preserve their vigilance and safeguarding of Icelandic interests, and urged a discussion of Iceland's position in a state of uncertainty prevailing "in our immediate environment".[150]
On 14 January 2026, nominee for the ambassador of the US to Iceland, Billy Long, "joked" that Iceland should become the 52nd state of the United States.[152] He apologised for the remark.[153]
Canada
In January 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada would "always support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark, including Greenland". Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand announced Canada would open a consulate in Nuuk and Governor-General Mary Simon would travel to Greenland and Denmark to show their support for a key Arctic ally.[154]
On 16 January 2026, Carney said that the "future of Greenland is a decision for Greenland and for the Kingdom of Denmark". He emphasized that a decision on who owns Greenland does not belong to Trump.[155][156]
Opposition in the United States
Former CIA Director John O. Brennan said Americans are ashamed of Trump's threats against Greenland.
Former CIA Director John O. Brennan called it "outrageous that we are threatening Denmark" and that there is a "sense of shame" among Americans over Trump's behavior.[157] US Republican senator Thom Tillis and Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen, co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, said that "the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect Greenland and Denmark's sovereignty and territorial integrity".[158][159] Republican senator Roger Wicker, the Senate Armed Services chair, said Trump's threats to seize Greenland is "a topic that should be dropped"[160] and cautioned Trump against spending time "antagonizing allies".[161] After meeting Danish officials, Wicker said it is clear that there's no room for negotiation and that Trump's attempt to obtain Greenland is not realistic.[162]
Senator Mitch McConnell characterised attempts to seize Greenland as "trampling the sovereignty, respect, and trust of our allies" and that "the use of force … would be an especially catastrophic act of strategic self-harm to America and its global influence".[160][163][164] Republican senator Susan Collins and Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson called the threats and possible US military actions as "completely inappropriate".[160]
On 12 January 2026, it was announced that a bipartisan US congressional delegation, including Democratic senator Chris Coons and Republican senator Thom Tillis, would travel to Copenhagen to meet with Danish and Greenlandic officials to underscore the value of their partnership.[25]
Former Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Frank A. Rose, the last US official to negotiate a defence agreement with Denmark, said Trump's behavior threatens to undermine the access the United States has to the Danish territory, since, under the 1951 agreement, already has all the military access it needs.[77]
On 7 January 2026, US senator Ruben Gallego introduced a resolution in the US senate to block Trump from invading Greenland.[165] A few days later, Democratic and Republican senators introduced the bipartisan No Funds for NATO Invasion Act, which prohibits the use of federal funds for the invasion of any NATO member state or NATO-protected territory,[166] as well as the bipartisan NATO Unity Protection Act to "prohibit the use of US Department of Defense or Department of State funds to blockade, occupy, annex or otherwise assert control over the sovereign territory of a NATO member state without that ally's consent or authorization from the North Atlantic Council", introduced by Republican senator Lisa Murkowski and Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen.[167] According to Murkowski, the Act seeks to stop Trump's threats against Greenland.[168]
According to YouGov, 8 percent of Americans support using military force to take Greenland from Denmark, while 28% of Americans support proposals to "buy" Greenland.[24]
Republican congressman Don Bacon predicted an invasion of Greenland would lead to the immediate impeachment of Trump with Republican support.[164][170] Bacon said he would lean towards impeaching Trump and that many Republicans are mad about Trump's threats against Greenland, emphasizing that Trump will need to back off if he wants to save his presidency.[171]
European Union and NATO allies
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (right) urged "the United States to cease its threats against a historically close ally", while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (left) said that the EU stands in "full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland".
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU stands in "full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland" against US threats.[60] EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius warned that it would be the end of NATO if the US invaded Greenland and said that EU members would be under obligation to come to Denmark's assistance.[15] European countries have united behind Denmark, emphasizing that Greenland belongs to its people, not to the United States.[175][172]
European Council President António Costa said the EU would support Greenland and Denmark when needed and that the EU would not accept violations of international law. European allies said they are working on a plan to support Denmark.[176][116] EU lawmakers have called for freezing a proposed trade deal with the US.[177]
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has backed Denmark as a close ally within NATO and Europe.[178][179] British Defence Secretary John Healey said that the UK would never help the US invade Greenland.[180]
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Greenland would be defended by NATO,[181] and German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said "it is solely up to Denmark and Greenland to decide about Greenland's future. Territorial sovereignty and integrity must be respected."[182]
A joint statement, dated 6 January 2026, by President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark emphasised "sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders" and said that "Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland."[183][184][185] A joint statement by foreign ministers of the Nordic countries have echoed the same message.[186][187][188] The Croatian government released a statement calling on NATO allies to respect each other's sovereignty and reaffirming that Greenland is part of Denmark.[189]
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen thanked the European allies for their support.[190]
Shortly after the start of the crisis, the Danish Realm began rapidly militarizing the Arctic. On 27 January 2025, governments in the Danish Realm agreed to the First Agreement on the Arctic and North Atlantic, which invested a total of kr.14,600,000,000 (US$2,052,000,000) into new naval vessels, drone warfare training, upgrades to the Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, intelligence, and Arctic basic military training.[193] This was followed by the Second Agreement on 10 October 2025, providing upgrades worth kr.27,400,000,000 (US$4,263,440,000) for improvements of what was presented in the First Agreement, alongside upgrades to Kangerlussuaq Airport, a new specialised Arctic unit under the Special Operations Command, establishment of radar capability in East Greenland, and the construction of a new undersea cable connecting Greenland to Denmark.[194][195]
In the summer of 2025, the Greenlandic government and the Danish Defence both announced that Greenland would have increased military presence by September, as part of Operation Arctic Light.[196][197]
On 18 August 2025, the Ministry of Justice allocated a package worth more than kr.850,000,000 to their operations in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.[198] Alongside promotions of general law enforcement and upgrades to courts, the package also provided funding for strengthening the PET's activities in the North Atlantic, and provided new maritime equipment to Greenlandic and Faroese police in response to the security situation in the North Atlantic.[198]
By 19 January 2026, a total of over kr.88,000,000,000 (US$13,711,703,632) "has been invested in capabilities and initiatives that can strengthen defense and security in the Arctic", according to the Ministry of Defence.[199]
On 19 January 2026, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and their Nordic Security ministers in Brussels about the situation in Greenland.[199]
International collaboration
Many NATO countries began deploying troops to Greenland as part of Operation Arctic Endurance in response to the crisis. Status as of 18January2026:
US
Greenland
Participants
Rest of NATO
On 14 January 2026, Denmark started to send military reinforcements to Greenland[200] to strengthen its military presence.[201] Later that day, it became known that both Sweden[202] and Norway sent military forces to support the Danish Defence in protecting Greenland.[203] The Ministry of Defence on 14 January 2026 announced "an increased military presence in and around Greenland, comprising aircraft, vessels and soldiers, including from NATO allies".[204] After consultations between a group of European countries,[205] Germany announced it was sending a small contingent to Greenland on a reconnaissance mission with other European nations.[206] On 15 January 2026, a French military contingent arrived in Greenland.[16]
On 16 January, Danish F-35 and French MRTT jets conducted a training mission in southeast Greenland.[207]
On 17 January, Major General Søren Andersen stated that at least 100 units have arrived in Nuuk, and another 100 in Kangerlussuaq.[208]
Despite Poland's recent interest and participation in military exercises in the Arctic region, and having signed a bilateral defence agreement with Denmark in the 1990s, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Poland would not deploy troops in Greenland.[215][216][217] This decision was criticised by former Major General Roman Polko as "sheer cowardice", to which Kosiniak-Kamysz defended it as protecting NATO unity.[218][219]
On 18 January, Germany's reconnaissance team returned,[220] with the Bundeswehr stating that the mission to plan for future engagements had been "completed, as planned".[221][222]
By 19 January, Denmark had sent 200 additional soldiers to Greenland.[223] On that day, Denmark announced that a "substantial contribution" of its armed forces would be sent to Greenland. That day more soldiers together with the Chief of the Royal Danish Army, General Peter Boysen, started arriving in Greenland.[224][225]
On 19 January it became known that Canada considers sending troops to Greenland to reinforce Danish sovereignty.[226] On the same day, NORAD announced that it would deploy their aircraft to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland for long-planned activities, describing the deployment as routine and coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark with diplomatic clearances and with the Government of Greenland informed of the planned operations.[227]
Large anti-Trump protests, named "Hands off Greenland", took place across Greenland and Denmark on 17 January to protest against Trump's threats against Greenland.[228] The solidarity protests are organised by Greenlandic associations in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense and Nuuk.[229][230] Uagut, an association of Greenlanders in Denmark, said the aim of the protests is to send a message of respect for Greenland's democracy and fundamental human rights.[231] In Copenhagen, thousands of Greenlanders and Danes filled City Hall Square.[232][233] Protesters chanted "Greenland is not for sale" and "Kalaallit Nunaat" and marched to the US embassy in Copenhagen in solidarity with Greenlanders.[234][235][236]
In response to Operation Arctic Endurance and European countries' refusal to support his annexation of Greenland, Trump launched a trade war – informally called Trump's trade war[4] – against several EU and NATO members.[17][4][240] Trump said he would impose tariffs on any trading partner that did not support the idea of a US invasion and military occupation of Greenland.[241][242] He threatened Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland with up to 25% retaliatory tariffs until they supported his takeover of Greenland,[243][244][245] stating that they had "journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet".[246]
European response
In response to Trump's trade war, EU leaders said the approval of the proposed EU–US trade agreement cannot proceed.[18] The EU has vowed a firm, EU-wide joint response. European Council President António Costa said the EU will be "very firm in defending international law [...] starting within the territory of the European Union's member states".[247]Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said China and Russia must be having a field day as a result of Trump's trade war.[247] The EU is preparing substantial retaliatory tariffs against the US.[248]
French President Macron described Trump's threats as unacceptable and said that "no intimidation nor threat will influence us, neither in Ukraine, nor in Greenland".[249] Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre condemned Trump's threats and wrote that "Norway's position is firm: Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Norway fully supports the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark."[18] British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump's trade war is "completely wrong".[250] Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe will not be blackmailed by Trump.[251]
A joint statement by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom emphasised the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity and accused Trump of creating a "dangerous downward spiral" with his threats.[252][253]
On 18 January, EU ambassadors from all 27 member states held an emergency meeting on Trump's threats.[254]
Several EU countries and leaders including President Macron advocate the unprecedented use of the EU's Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), a security policy and trade policy tool informally known as the "trade bazooka", against the US.[255][256][257][19][258] Under the Instrument, the EU may adopt countermeasures, sometimes described as sanctions, including tariffs, restrictions on public procurement, and measures affecting trade and investment. The proposed countermeasures were described as unprecedented.[252][259]Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade, supports the activation of the ACI.[260]
US opposition to trade war
Trump's trade war has met with strong resistance among US politicians. Senior Republicans as well as Democrats described Trump's trade war as bad for the US, bad for business, and a strategic gift to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.[261] On the other hand, Trump said that Greenland is a US national security priority because he does not want Russia or China as neighbours.[262]
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats will introduce legislation to block any tariffs "before they do further damage to the American economy and our allies in Europe".[263][264]
Political scientist Hilmar Mjelde calls Trump's actions a "political own goal of historic proportions", and says he believes Trump has underestimated European steadfastness.[266]Annie Genevard said the EU has strong leverage and can retaliate in a trade war with the US, and that it could be "deadly for the United States", emphasizing that Europeans will not let the US do as it pleases.[267]
12"Eksperter: USA fører hybridkrig mod Grønland"[Experts: The USA is waging hybrid warfare against Greenland]. Dagbladet Børsen (in Danish). Retrieved 9 January 2026. Det er decideret hybrid krigsførelse, når amerikanerne forsøger at købe sig til et valgresultat i Grønland, vurderer to eksperter. Det lyder ganske problematisk: en allieret, der fører aktiv hybridkrig mod en anden allieret. Det er ikke desto mindre den virkelighed, Danmark og Grønland befinder sig i, når USA tager en bred vifte af metoder i brug for at lægge pres på Rigsfællesskabet.[It clearly amounts to hybrid warfare when the Americans try to buy their way to an election result in Greenland, two experts assess. It sounds quite problematic: an ally conducting active hybrid warfare against another ally. Nevertheless, this is the reality that Denmark and Greenland find themselves in when the United States employs a broad range of methods to exert pressure on the Realm.]
↑"USA har allerede en helt spesiell avtale for Grønland. Hvorfor er ikke det nok?"[The United States already has a very special agreement for Greenland. Why isn't that enough?]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 January 2026. I dag gjenstår kun det som tidligere het Thule-basen. Den skiftet i 2023 navn til Pituffik Space Base. Navnet henspiller på det inuittiske navnet på «stedet der hunder er bundet». Basen hadde på et tidspunkt 6000 amerikanere i tjeneste. Totalt hadde USA på det meste utplassert 10.000 soldater på øya. Nå er det bare 150 igjen, bekreftet baseledelsen for overfor dansk TV2 denne uken.[Today, only what was previously known as Thule Air Base remains. In 2023, it changed its name to Pituffik Space Base. The name refers to the Inuit name for 'the place where dogs are tied.' At one point, the base had 6,000 Americans in service. In total, the United States at its peak had deployed 10,000 soldiers on the island. Now there are only 150 left, base leadership confirmed to Danish TV2 this week.]
12"Danmarks utenriksminister med klar beskjed til USA: – Forsøk på innblanding er uakseptabelt". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 27 August 2025. Danmark og USA har innledet en form for hybridkrig, hvor vi med sikkerhet ikke har sett det siste. Det kommer til å kreve store ressurser og oppmerksomhet fra den danske regjeringen, sier Winther[Denmark and the United States have entered a form of hybrid warfare, and we certainly have not seen the last of it. It will require significant resources and attention from the Danish government, says Winther]
↑"Trump splitter kanskje USA, men han samlet Grønland". Morgenbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 January 2026. Hybridkrig via Instagram: Trump splitter kanskje USA, men han samlet Grønland[Hybrid warfare via Instagram: Trump may be dividing the US, but he united Greenland]
↑Mogensen, Lars Trier. "USA tester grænserne i Grønland – og Danmark mangler modtræk". Dagbladet Information (in Danish). Retrieved 7 January 2026. Kongeriget Danmark er under en ny form for hybridkrigslignende angreb – vestfra. Og det mest skræmmende er ikke engang truslen i sig selv, men i høj grad fraværet af realistiske modtræk[The Kingdom of Denmark is under a new form of hybrid-warfare-like attack — from the west. And the most frightening thing is not even the threat itself, but to a large extent the absence of realistic countermeasures.]
↑Talbot, Margaret. "Denmark Is Sick of Being Bullied by Trump". The New Yorker. Retrieved 12 January 2026. André Ken Jakobsson, a professor at the University of Southern Denmark, is a scholar of 'hybrid warfare,' in which a country uses economic punishment, cyberattacks, and other aggressive means to harm another country, sometimes in concert with military operations. He told me, The U.S. has been using all of its means short of conventional war in its campaign to try to get Greenland. We're uncertain—and that is how hybrid warfare works—how to interpret some of the actions.
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