US President Donald Trump has upped the ante in his long-standing bid to acquire Greenland, stating that the US will intervene whether Denmark and its Greenlandic partners like it or not. In a tense meeting with oil and gas executives at the White House, Trump asserted that failure to secure the Arctic territory would fall into the hands of rival powers Russia and China.
"The United States is going to do something in Greenland," he warned. "If we don't, they're going to take over, and I'm not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor." Trump framed his stance as a matter of national security, arguing that allowing Russia or China to dominate Greenland would be unacceptable.
The comments come as tensions between the US and its NATO allies, particularly Denmark, escalate. Despite repeated assurances from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that a US attack on Greenland would mean the end of NATO's post-WWII security framework, Trump has continued to insist that he supports the alliance.
However, this stance appears to be at odds with the views of the vast majority of Greenlanders, who have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the idea of US control. A 2025 poll found that an astonishing 85% of the population rejects the notion, while only 7% of Americans support a US military invasion.
In addition to his comments on Greenland, Trump also warned about Iran's growing unrest, stating that the US would take action if Iranian authorities were to suppress protesters violently. "If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved," he said. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts."
The White House has long been keen on asserting its influence in the Arctic region, with Trump reviving interest in Greenland after a 2019 presidential campaign promise. However, his latest comments have only deepened concerns among Denmark and Greenlandic leaders about the potential for US aggression.
For now, it remains to be seen whether the US will take concrete action to acquire Greenland or if its rhetoric will prove to be nothing more than an empty threat.
"The United States is going to do something in Greenland," he warned. "If we don't, they're going to take over, and I'm not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor." Trump framed his stance as a matter of national security, arguing that allowing Russia or China to dominate Greenland would be unacceptable.
The comments come as tensions between the US and its NATO allies, particularly Denmark, escalate. Despite repeated assurances from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen that a US attack on Greenland would mean the end of NATO's post-WWII security framework, Trump has continued to insist that he supports the alliance.
However, this stance appears to be at odds with the views of the vast majority of Greenlanders, who have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the idea of US control. A 2025 poll found that an astonishing 85% of the population rejects the notion, while only 7% of Americans support a US military invasion.
In addition to his comments on Greenland, Trump also warned about Iran's growing unrest, stating that the US would take action if Iranian authorities were to suppress protesters violently. "If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved," he said. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts."
The White House has long been keen on asserting its influence in the Arctic region, with Trump reviving interest in Greenland after a 2019 presidential campaign promise. However, his latest comments have only deepened concerns among Denmark and Greenlandic leaders about the potential for US aggression.
For now, it remains to be seen whether the US will take concrete action to acquire Greenland or if its rhetoric will prove to be nothing more than an empty threat.
I mean i remember back in 2016 when he was running for president, nobody thought he'd actually try to do something about it lol. but seriously though, i don't get why the US is so interested in greenland anyway. isn't it just a bunch of ice & snow? 
and what's with all this national security stuff? Russia & china are gonna take over or whatever... meanwhile americans r like 85% against it too 
gotta wonder if trump even knows how the majority of greenlanders feel about this whole thing. anyway, can't say i'm surprised by his antics though 
...but, I mean, 85% of Greenlanders are pretty clear on their stance, and it's not like the US has a history of respecting international borders, right? 
It's all about national security, but what about the people living there? They shouldn't be caught in the middle of a global power struggle 
. Denmark and NATO need to set some boundaries with Trump, you know? 
. Can we all just take a deep breath and try to understand each other's perspectives? 
what is going on with Trump's Greenland plans?! I mean, I get that he wants to assert US influence in the Arctic region and all that but 85% of Greenlanders are totally against it? Like, can't we just respect their wishes and let them decide their own future? 
. I mean, 85% of the population is against it, and he's just gonna go ahead and do whatever he wants? 
.
Like, we can't even get our own allies right, but we're all like "we'll intervene" when someone else is being mean to them... 
. Newsflash, Donald: just because we're not the biggest player doesn't mean we need to be aggressive. Can't we just have a nice chat and find a mutually beneficial solution? 
. "If they start killing people like they have in the past, we will get involved"... sounds like a threat to me 
. I'm all for standing up for what's right, but let's not be reckless here. How about some diplomacy instead of belligerence? 
. And what about the actual benefits of Greenlandic independence? Have we even considered those?! 
. One day he's all about US greatness, the next day it's all about securing Greenland and now Iran... Can someone please make sense of this trainwreck for me? 
meanwhile iran protesters r gettin violent & trump's all "we'll take action" 
Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking, "Uh, guys, can't we just get along?" 
i don't know how much more of this trump drama i can take 
i just wanna shout from the rooftops and tell him to calm down like 3 times a day lol anyways, what do u guys think? should the US really be trying to control greenland?