 "Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen welcomes Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on the day of the European Political Community summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, on October 2, 2025. Reuters File")
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has said that the citizens of the autonomous territory would prefer to stay a part of Denmark than join the US if they are asked to make a choice “here and now”.
Nielsen made the remarks at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, marking the strongest show of disapproval of President Donald Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland.
“If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,” the Greenlandic PM said.
He added, “One thing must be clear to everyone. Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.”
Trump has renewed his ambition to take over Greenland ever since his military launched an operation in Venezuela, ultimately capturing President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.
When asked about his thoughts on Nielsen’s comments, Trump said, “That’s their problem, I disagree with him… That’s going to be a big problem for him.”
Why does US want Greenland?
Greenland’s geography creates a critical strategic bridge between North America and the Arctic, establishing the territory as a vital hub for monitoring maritime traffic and hosting early warning systems essential for detecting missile threats.
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View AllHighlighting these advantages, Trump has consistently characterised the island as a cornerstone of US national security, though his claims that the region is “covered with Russian and Chinese ships” have been widely disputed by Nordic diplomats and intelligence assessments, which find no evidence of a significant naval presence from either nation in Greenlandic waters.
Does the US want to buy Greenland?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers at a classified briefing that the Trump administration does not simply want to seize Greenland, but buy it from Denmark.
A senior US official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Washington’s options include an outright purchase of Greenland or the creation of a Compact of Free Association with the territory.
Earlier, Greenland and Denmark said they had requested an urgent meeting with Rubio to address US claims over the island.
However, Trump, who first expressed his ambitions to buy Greenland during his first presidency, is not the only one who wants to acquire the island. Russia and China have shown interest in Greenland owing to its untapped rare earth deposits.