Jul 5, 2026, 8:28 p.mJul 5, 2026, 8:28 p.m
According to a high-ranking official, from the US perspective, a takeover of Greenland by the United States is currently the only way to address the security risks surrounding the ice island, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark, in the long term. “We continue to believe that this is the best way to meet NATO’s defense needs in relation to Greenland,” he told journalists before the NATO summit this Tuesday and Wednesday in Turkey. At the same time, he said that other options would also be examined. He left it open what these might look like.
The senior government official pointed out that there was “active naval activity” in the region around Greenland and that US President Donald Trump was seeking a “permanent” solution. “So far we see the only solution as the acquisition of Greenland by the United States,” the official continued.
Trump’s blatant claims of ownership shocked NATO partners
At the beginning of the year, Trump openly threatened to take over the strategically important Arctic island – and in doing so not only snubbed NATO partner Denmark, but also raised doubts about the unity of the world’s largest military alliance and mutual loyalty to the alliance. His reasoning: The territory belonging to Denmark would otherwise not be safe from Russia and China – and therefore not the USA either.
He ultimately withdrew Trump’s threats to use military means if necessary – as well as the announcement of punitive tariffs against Germany and other European countries if they did not agree to sell the island to the USA. However, he stuck to his claims to the island. The governments of Denmark and Greenland firmly reject annexation by the USA. They have now started talks with Trump’s government with the aim of finding a compromise. (sda/dpa)