Donald Trump: US will ‘do something’ on Greenland ‘whether they like it or not,’

09 January 2025 – Donald Trump says he wants to secure Greenland – “whether they like it or not”

U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his demand that the United States take active steps regarding Greenland and, if necessary, also take tough measures to bring the strategically important island under its control. “We will do something regarding Greenland, whether they like it or not,” Trump said at a press conference at the White House, according to multiple media reports.

Trump justified his tough rhetoric by arguing that Russia or China could take over the island if the United States did not act. “We don’t want Russia or China as neighbors,” he said, adding that while he would prefer an agreement — “the easy way” — “if we don’t do it the easy way, then we’ll do it the hard way.”

When asked about a possible purchase price for Denmark, Trump said he was not talking about money at the moment, “but maybe later.”

Trump described control over Greenland as a U.S. national security priority and argued that the existing American military presence was not sufficient to guarantee long-term security. He stressed that the territory must be owned, not just defended.

Denmark and European allies continued to react with outrage to Trump’s statements, emphasizing that Greenland’s future must be decided solely by its population and the Kingdom of Denmark.

January 6, 2025, 10:00 p.m. – U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stated that Greenland represents a “national security priority” for the United States.

This was announced by the White House in a written statement reported by Reuters. The statement was issued in response to several questions from the news agency.

“President Trump has made it clear that the acquisition of Greenland is a national security priority for the United States,” the statement said.

It went on to say that this is crucial in order to deter adversaries of the United States in the Arctic region.

The statement also noted that Trump is discussing with his team various options for pursuing this “important foreign policy objective.”

“And of course, the use of the U.S. military is always an option available to the Commander-in-Chief,” the statement continued, according to Reuters.

January 6, 2025 – Stephen Miller reiterates hard U.S. position in CNN interview

Stephen Miller, husband of Katie Miller and a close adviser to Donald Trump (Deputy Chief of Staff), reaffirmed the U.S. government’s stance on the Greenland issue in an interview with CNN late last night. In the interview, Miller openly questioned the legal basis on which Denmark claims Greenland and further asked how Greenland came to be a Danish colony.

Miller stated that since the beginning of the current Trump administration—and already during Trump’s first term—it has been the official position of the United States that Greenland should be part of the American security architecture. While he explicitly rejected the idea of a military intervention, he added at the same time that “no one will fight the United States militarily” when it comes to the future of Greenland.

Miller justified this position by arguing that, as the leading power within NATO, the United States needs control over Greenland in order to secure the Arctic and protect the alliance’s strategic interests. He dismissed statements by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen suggesting that everything would come to a halt if the United States were to attack another NATO country.

The U.S. correspondent for Danish public broadcaster DR interprets Miller’s remarks as a clear signal that this is not merely rhetoric, but a firm component of U.S. government policy. While the interview does not represent a new level of escalation, it underscores that Washington is pursuing its ambitions regarding Greenland in a long-term and consistent manner—regardless of objections from Denmark or Greenland.

05 January 2025 – On board Air Force One, Donald Trump initially declined to speak about Greenland.
Asked by a journalist whether he intended to “take action” on the Greenland issue, the US president avoided giving a direct answer.

“I don’t want to talk about Greenland. I want to talk about Venezuela, Russia, Ukraine,” Trump said.

However, the topic did not entirely let go of him. Shortly afterwards, Trump returned to the issue himself and pointed to a notable timeframe. “We will deal with Greenland in about two months. Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days,” he said, without explaining why he mentioned that specific period.

Substantively, the president once again underlined his security-policy arguments. From the US perspective, Greenland is of central importance to national security. “We need Greenland for national security reasons,” Trump said, claiming that the region is currently filled with Chinese and Russian ships.

At the same time, he voiced doubts about Denmark’s role. Denmark would not be able to meet the security challenges in Greenland, Trump said. Mockingly, he added that Denmark had recently increased security by adding “one dog sled.”
“That’s true. They thought that was a good move,” he told the assembled journalists.

Trump also brought the European Union into his argument. “The EU needs us to get it,” he said, referring to Greenland. “And they know that.”

When and in what form the United States intends to pursue the Greenland issue further remains unclear. What did become clear, however, is that despite his initial reluctance, Trump continues to attach great strategic importance to the Arctic island.

04 January 2025 – Provocative Greenland post causes diplomatic irritation
A social media post by Katie Miller triggered international criticism on 3 January 2025 and reignited geopolitical tensions surrounding Greenland. Miller is a U.S. communications consultant who, during Donald Trump’s first presidency, worked among other roles as a spokesperson at the Department of Homeland Security and within the office of then Vice President Mike Pence. She is still considered part of the Trump-aligned political camp. Miller is married to Stephen Miller, one of Donald Trump’s most influential and controversial advisers, who played a key role in shaping U.S. immigration policy.

On the platform X, she published an image of Greenland overlaid with a U.S. flag and the word “SOON”.

The post was widely interpreted as a provocative hint, echoing earlier statements by Trump, who repeatedly expressed strong interest in Greenland. Although the post was a private publication, it was perceived as a political signal due to Miller’s background and public profile.

Criticism followed swiftly from Denmark and Greenland. Diplomatic representatives emphasized Greenland’s territorial integrity and its status as a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The tone of the post was described as inappropriate and as disregarding political realities as well as the interests of the Greenlandic population, according to diplomatic sources.

The post on X has been removed again.