Greenland’s Prime Minister has firmly stated, “Enough is enough,” in response to President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy troops to annex the island.
Mute Egede convened fellow political leaders to strategize a stronger rejection of Trump’s proposal.
“The U.S. president has once again floated the idea of annexing us,” Egede said in a statement.
He added: ‘Enough is enough.’
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who will be the next prime minster after his Demokraatit party won Greenland’s parliamentary election Tuesday, also turned on Trump.
‘Trump’s statement from the US is inappropriate and just shows once again that we must stand together in such situations,’ he said.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede declared ‘enough is enough’ about President Donald Trump’s wish to annex the island
On Thursday, Trump reaffirmed that the United States “needs” Greenland for national security and suggested he was prepared to deploy American troops to seize control of the island.
“I think it will happen,” Trump said about annexing Greenland during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“We really need it for national security. That’s why NATO might have to get involved anyway,” he added.
Trump also pointed out that the U.S. already has a military presence on Greenland.
“We have a couple of bases there already and quite a few soldiers. You may see more and more troops stationed there,” he warned. “We have bases, and we have quite a few soldiers on Greenland.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, seated on a couch in the Oval Office during the conversation, nodded in agreement. The U.S. currently operates Pituffik Space Base on Greenland, which supports missile warning and space surveillance operations.
Trump said he would discuss the matter with Rutte, but the NATO secretary refused to engage.
“When it comes to Greenland joining the U.S., I would leave that outside this discussion because I don’t want to involve NATO in that,” Rutte stated.
This isn’t the first time Trump has considered using military force to take control of foreign territory.
In early January, after his election but before his inauguration, Trump signaled he was open to using force in both Greenland and Panama, where he sought control of the canal.
Greenland party leaders Mute Egede from Inuit Ataqatigiit; Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen from Atassut; Erik Jensen from Siumut; Jens-Frederik Nielsen from Demokraatit; and Pele Broberg from Naleraq gather on the day of the party leader debate
President Donald Trump wit NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office
Greenlanders decisively rejected President Trump’s attempt to bring their island under U.S. control.
In Tuesday’s elections, voters awarded first place to Demokraatit, a center-right party that has never held power but firmly opposes any American takeover of the Danish territory.
Nielsen, the incoming prime minister, criticized Trump’s push for Greenland to become part of the United States.
“We don’t want to be Americans. No, we don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders, and we want our own independence in the future,” Nielsen declared.
“And we want to build our own country on our own terms.”
The election results weren’t just a rebuke of Trump. Greenlanders overwhelmingly support independence, including a future break from Denmark.
A pro-independence party advocating for full separation from Copenhagen within the next three years secured second place in the vote.
The Greenland flag flying Nuuk, the capital city
Colorful houses in Nuuk, Greenland
Trump is drawn to Greenland for its strategic location in the North Atlantic and its vast mineral resources. The waters surrounding the island are also believed to hold significant reserves of natural gas and oil.
Concerns are growing in Greenland that Trump may attempt to seize the island by force.
“I think most of us have been scared since the new year because of (Trump’s) interest,” said Pipaluk Lynge, a member of parliament from the ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit, or United Inuit Party.
“So we’re really, really looking to Europe right now to see if we can establish a stronger bond to secure our sovereign nation.”
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is also one of the least populated, home to roughly 56,000 people.
Denmark has controlled Greenland for nearly 300 years. It became a formal Danish territory in 1953 and gained home rule in 1979.
However, Copenhagen still provides defense for the island.
Greenlanders hold Danish passports and have access to Denmark’s healthcare system. The island also benefits from Denmark’s NATO and EU memberships.
