Danish PM says U.S. has no right to annex Greenland, urges end to threats
Jan 05, 2026
Oslo [Norway], January 5: Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Sunday that the United States has no right to annex Greenland, urging Washington to stop making threats against a close ally and the Greenlandic people.
"I have to say it very directly to the United States," Frederiksen said in a statement. She rejected the idea that it would be necessary for the United States to take over Greenland, stressing that "the United States has no right to annex" any of the three parts of the Danish Realm -- Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Frederiksen underlined that the Kingdom of Denmark including Greenland is part of NATO and therefore covered by the alliance's security guarantee. She added that a defense agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States already gives Washington broad access to Greenland.
The prime minister called on the United States to stop threats directed at "a historically close ally" as well as "another country and another people" who, she noted, have made it clear they are not for sale.
Frederiksen's comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said in a telephone interview on Sunday with The Atlantic that the United States "absolutely" needs Greenland. He also discussed the U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
Last month, Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, renewing diplomatic tension between Washington and the Danish Realm.
Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland, saying that he would not rule out the use of "military or economic coercion" to achieve that goal.
Greenland, a former Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953. It was granted home rule in 1979, expanding its autonomy, though Denmark retains authority over foreign affairs and defense.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
