In response to Donald Trump's threats, Greenlandic politicians have made it clear that they "don't want to be American." The future of this Arctic island will be determined by the people of Greenland themselves.
Earlier, US President Trump warned that the United States would "do something" whether Greenlanders liked it or not.
The leaders of the five political parties in Greenland's parliament issued the statement Friday night, shortly after the US president reiterated his threat to seize the mineral-rich island.
The leaders, including Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Friedrich Nielsen, said, "We don't want to be American, we don't want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be determined by the Greenlanders."
Emphasizing the right to self-determination, Greenland's leaders said, "No other country can interfere. We must determine the future of our country without any pressure or delay."
Trump's 'easy or hard' path
Speaking at a White House meeting with energy officials on Friday, Trump said Greenland was vital to US national security. "We're not going to let Russia or China take Greenland," he told reporters. "If we don't take action, they will. So we're going to do something about Greenland, whether it's the easy way or the hard way."
The White House confirmed that Trump is "actively" discussing a proposal to buy the island with his national security team.
Public opinion and Denmark's response
According to a 2025 poll, 85 percent of Greenlanders rejected the proposal to become part of the United States. On the other hand, only 7 percent of American citizens voted in favor of a military operation in Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently said that any such move would mean the end of NATO and the post-World War II security system. She called on Trump to stop the threat, saying the United States had no right to occupy any part of Denmark.
In response, Trump claimed that NATO would not exist without him. Asked whether NATO would defend or take over Greenland, Trump told the New York Times, "It could be a choice."
Geopolitical background
The United States has had a military base in northwestern Greenland since World War II. Under the current agreement with Denmark, Trump can send as many troops as he wants there. But Trump believes that a deal alone won't work. "You have to have ownership," he says. "You protect ownership, not a lease."
Trump had previously offered to buy the island in 2019. But then he was told that Greenland was not for sale.
Trump claims that there are a lot of Russian and Chinese ships circling around Greenland. However, Jess Berthelsen, head of the National Trade Union Confederation of Greenland, rejected the claim, saying, "We don't see anything like that. We don't understand what Trump is saying."
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