Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that Europe will not be intimidated amid renewed pressure from US President Donald Trump over Greenland, stressing that the issue extends far beyond Denmark’s borders and touches the foundations of the European and transatlantic order.
Speaking after Trump announced new customs measures and reiterated his interest in Greenland, Frederiksen said Denmark had entered into “intensive dialogue” with allies across Europe. She confirmed she had spoken with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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“The Kingdom of Denmark is receiving great support,” Frederiksen said. “At the same time, it is now even clearer that this is a matter that goes far beyond our own borders.”
She emphasised the importance of unity around Europe’s core principles. “All the more important is that we stand firm on the fundamental values that created the European community. We want to cooperate and we are not the ones seeking conflict. And I am happy for the consistent messages from the rest of the continent: Europe is not blackmailed.”
Joint statement by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom 👇 pic.twitter.com/Gxf3F1Dc3p
— Denmark MFA 🇩🇰 (@DanishMFA) January 18, 2026
Her remarks come amid growing public opposition to Trump’s statements about taking control of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in both Denmark and Greenland in recent days, protesting against any US attempt to seize the vast Arctic island.
Demonstrations were held in Copenhagen and other Danish cities, as well as in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. The protests coincided with a visit to Copenhagen by a delegation from the US Congress, led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who described Trump’s rhetoric as “not constructive”.
Trump has long expressed a desire to acquire Greenland, citing its strategic location and natural resources. In a January 8, 2026 article in The New Yorker, journalist Susan Glasser recalled how Trump stunned advisers during his first term by floating the idea of trading Puerto Rico for Greenland, and later framing the territory as a real-estate opportunity.
“I’m in real estate,” Trump told Glasser and journalist Peter Baker in 2021. “It’s not different from a real estate deal. It’s just a little bit larger, to put it mildly.”
After returning to office for a second term, Trump revived his interest in Greenland, initially quieting the issue before again pressing the matter following a series of aggressive foreign policy moves elsewhere. In a January 7 interview with The New York Times, Trump said he wanted not merely to cooperate with Greenland, but to own it outright.
“Ownership is very important,” he said, adding that it was “psychologically important for me”.
Critics warn that such statements pose a direct threat to NATO, of which Denmark is a founding member. Greenland already hosts the US Pituffik Space Base, and the two countries have cooperated closely on defence for decades.
Writing in The Atlantic, national security scholar Tom Nichols described Trump’s fixation on Greenland as “extraordinarily dangerous”, warning it could trigger the collapse of NATO and destabilise global security, potentially emboldening Russia and China.
Those concerns have been echoed by Frederiksen, who has warned that a US seizure of Greenland would signal “the end of NATO”. European Union defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius has expressed similar fears.
Trump, however, has dismissed such warnings. In a social media post this week, he claimed NATO would be far stronger with Greenland under US control and denied that his actions could undermine the alliance.
Diplomatic tensions remain high. On Wednesday, Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance, but the talks reportedly ended with “fundamental disagreements” after Trump again insisted the US “really need[s]” Greenland.
The same day, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden announced “Operation Arctic Endurance”, increasing their military presence in Greenland to support Denmark and ensure regional security.
In the United States, Trump’s stance has drawn bipartisan criticism. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 17% of Americans support efforts to acquire Greenland, while just 4% approve of using military force. Trump dismissed the poll as “fake”.
Lawmakers from both parties have introduced measures aimed at preventing any military action against Greenland or other NATO allies. On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of 11 US lawmakers, led by Senator Coons, met Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen in Denmark, seeking to “lower the temperature” and reaffirming US respect for Danish sovereignty.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said there was no congressional support for acquiring Greenland, while Representative Don Bacon warned that any attack on a NATO ally could trigger impeachment proceedings.
“You don’t threaten a NATO ally,” Bacon said. “Invading an ally is immoral and wrong. It would probably be the end of his presidency.”
As tensions persist, Frederiksen has made Denmark’s position clear: cooperation remains the goal, but Europe will stand firm against pressure over Greenland.
