Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has issued a stark warning that any attempt by the United States to take over Greenland could mark the end of NATO as we know it. Her statement comes after renewed comments by former US President Donald Trump about acquiring the strategically significant and resource-rich Arctic island, following last weekend’s controversial US operation in Venezuela.
In a dramatic show of force, US military units captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas, sparking global alarm. This operation has heightened concerns in Denmark and Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory and NATO member. Both Frederiksen and Greenlandic leader Jens Frederik Nielsen criticized Trump’s remarks, emphasizing the severe consequences of any military aggression.
"If the United States attacks another NATO country, everything stops," Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2. "That includes NATO itself and the security guarantees established since World War II."
Trump has long expressed interest in Greenland, even suggesting during his presidential transition and early second term that the U.S. might consider using military force to gain control of the island. His recent comments, including saying, "let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days," have fueled fears of a potential US intervention.
Frederiksen stressed that Trump’s statements should be taken seriously. "We will not accept a situation where Denmark or Greenland is threatened in this way," she said.
Meanwhile, Nielsen reassured Greenland’s residents that the island cannot be compared to Venezuela. "We are not in a situation where a takeover could happen overnight," he said, calling for calm and continued cooperation. "The United States cannot simply conquer Greenland."
Journalist Ask Rostrup of TV2 noted that Frederiksen had previously dismissed the idea of a US takeover outright. However, rising tensions have forced Danish leaders to acknowledge the possibility, signaling the seriousness of the situation.
Trump also mocked Denmark’s recent efforts to strengthen Greenland’s defense, claiming they had merely added "one more dog sled" to the territory’s military capabilities. He highlighted Greenland’s strategic importance, warning that "Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships," and argued that Denmark could not defend it effectively.
Experts have pushed back on these claims. Ulrik Pram Gad, a global security specialist at the Danish Institute for International Studies, pointed out that while Russian and Chinese vessels are present in the Arctic, they are too distant to pose a threat to Greenland.
Tensions were further inflamed by a social media post from former Trump administration official Katie Miller, showing a map of Greenland colored like the American flag with the caption "SOON." Denmark’s Ambassador to Washington, Jesper Moller Sorensen, responded by reaffirming the country’s territorial sovereignty and demanding respect for Greenland’s integrity.
The US has maintained a strategic presence in Greenland through the Pituffik Space Base, established in 1951 under a defense agreement with Denmark. The base is critical for missile warning, defense, and space surveillance operations for both the U.S. and NATO.
Despite decades of cooperation, recent U.S. proposals and military expansions including Denmark’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets and legislation allowing U.S. bases on Danish soil have sparked debate over Danish sovereignty and the balance of power in the Arctic.
The situation highlights the growing geopolitical significance of Greenland, the Arctic, and NATO, and raises urgent questions about the limits of U.S. influence and the protection of allied territories.
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