Greenland Rejects US Takeover and Seeks Independence
Leaders of the five major political parties in Greenland have released a joint statement rejecting the repeated requests from US President Trump to acquire Greenland, emphasizing their desire for independence and the need for the future of Greenland to be determined by its own people.
The statement, signed by Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and leaders of four other political parties on Friday evening, expressed the sentiment of wanting to identify as Greenlanders rather than Americans or Danes.
President Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring Greenland earlier in the day, warning of potential Russian or Chinese intervention if the United States does not assert control over the island. He stated his willingness to pursue the acquisition through either simple or forceful means.
The White House has confirmed that various options, including military force, are being considered to take control of the largest island globally. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cautioned that any US attack on NATO ally territory would mark the “end of NATO.”
While Greenland’s political parties are united in seeking independence, the strategically positioned Arctic island still relies heavily on Denmark for financial and defense support. Denmark currently allocates approximately 6.1 billion US dollars annually in block grants to Greenland, along with significant expenditures on police, judicial, and defense operations, totaling nearly 10 billion US dollars per year.
To address pressure from the US, Denmark announced a 65.4 billion US dollars Arctic defense plan last year.
Greenland’s economy is stagnant, with a GDP growth rate of only 0.2% in 2025. This economic dependence and the desire for independence present a diplomatic challenge for the Danish government.
The five party leaders reaffirmed in their statement that Greenland is protected by international law, and any territorial changes must be based on dialogue with the Greenlandic people. They emphasized the importance of self-determination in deciding the country’s future without interference from any other nation.
The joint statement was signed by Prime Minister Nielsen (Progress Party Naleraq), Pele Broberg (Naleraq Party), Múte B. Egede (Inuit Community IA), Aleqa Hammond (Siumut Party), and Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen (Unity Party Atassut).
The leader of Greenland’s largest opposition party Naleraq, Broberg, encouraged the current government to engage in dialogue with the US government without Danish involvement.
Officials from Denmark, Greenland, and the US are expected to meet in Washington next week for further discussions, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will engage in talks with representatives from both countries regarding territorial control issues.