(Will Porter, Antiwar.com) Denmark’s premier has warned that US military action against Greenland would unravel the NATO alliance and the entire international order, after President Donald Trump reiterated hopes to take over the country.
Speaking to Danish broadcasters on Monday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen condemned “unacceptable pressure” by the Trump administration to acquire Greenland – an autonomous territory of Denmark – warning of catastrophic consequences should Washington opt to take the country by force.
“If the United States were to choose to attack another NATO country, then everything would come to an end,” Frederiksen said. “The international community as we know it, democratic rules of the game, NATO, the world’s strongest defensive alliance – all of that would collapse if one NATO country chose to attack another.”
The PM’s comments came soon after Trump doubled down on earlier statements about taking control of Greenland, telling reporters on Air Force One last Sunday that “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.” He added that the country was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” but offered no evidence for the claim.
The US president has repeatedly floated the idea since his first term in office, initially suggesting that Washington could simply purchase Greenland in 2019, a move he compared to “a large real estate deal.” While Frederiksen rejected the comments as “absurd” at the time, Trump has continued to push the proposal.
On Tuesday evening, the White House escalated the matter further, issuing a veiled threat to seize the mineral-rich nation by force.
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, calling Greenland a “national security priority.”
Though senior Trump aide Stephen Miller had previously hinted that Washington could seize the territory, he downplayed the prospect for military action. Still, Miller challenged Danish rule over the country – which dates back to the 18th century – asking “by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?”
Along with the Danish PM, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and various European states have denounced the renewed push by the US administration, with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain publishing a critical joint statement earlier on Tuesday.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
Nielsen similarly deemed Trump’s rhetoric as “utterly unacceptable,” though added that “We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.”
The United States maintains a small permanent military presence in Greenland through the Pituffik Space Base, a Space Force installation operated under a Cold War-era treaty with the Kingdom of Denmark. According to the military, the base “supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance missions.” Vice President JD Vance and then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz toured the facility in March 2025. In comments to reporters at the base, the VP assured that “We do not think that military force is ever going to be necessary” to take control of Greenland, instead voicing hopes to “cut a deal, Donald Trump style.”
This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.
