Greenland should be controlled by the USA rather than Denmark, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday during the NATO summit in Ankara, bringing the dispute over the Arctic island back into the centre of transatlantic politics.
Greenland returns to NATO tensions
Trump made the statement while speaking to reporters during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Reuters.
“That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,” Trump said, referring to Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has broad self-government.
The comment is the latest escalation in a dispute that has already strained relations between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk. Trump has repeatedly argued that the USA needs Greenland for national security, pointing to the island’s strategic position in the Arctic.
Trump says Denmark is not doing enough
Trump also linked the issue to his relationship with NATO, saying Denmark had not accepted the American position on Greenland.
“That’s what hurt my relationship with NATO, because Greenland doesn’t help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States, and it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships, and that’s not going to happen,” he said.
His remarks came during a summit already focused on defence spending, Arctic security and the future balance of responsibility inside the alliance. Denmark and the USA are both founding members of NATO, making the dispute especially sensitive within the bloc.
Greenland is self-governing, but Denmark handles defence
Greenland has had extensive self-government since 2009. It has its own parliament, the Greenland Parliament (Inatsisartut), and its own government, the Government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisut).
However, Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Copenhagen is still responsible for foreign policy, defence and security, although Danish authorities say these matters should be handled in close cooperation with Greenland’s government.
The 2009 Self-Government Act also recognises Greenlanders as a people with the right to self-determination under international law. That principle has become increasingly important as the island’s geopolitical role grows.
Talks continue with Denmark and Greenland
Reuters reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June that talks with Denmark and Greenland were continuing on a monthly basis.
That diplomatic track remains open, but Trump’s latest comments show that USA control over Greenland is still a live political issue for his administration. The dispute is likely to remain a source of pressure between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk as NATO tries to project unity on Arctic and European security.
