Jan 17, 2026, 12:06 p.m01/18/2026, 09:45
Ahead of planned demonstrations against the US government in Denmark and Greenland, several US parliamentarians have reiterated their support for the resistance against Donald Trump. “Greenland is part of Denmark, and Denmark is a NATO ally,” said Democratic Senator Chris Coons during a press conference in the Danish capital. “In my opinion, this should be the end of this discussion.”
US President Trump has repeatedly said that the United States wants to take over Greenland, which is largely covered by ice. Trump justifies this with security concerns about a threat from China and Russia in the region. He recently threatened countries that oppose his plan with punitive tariffs.
Coons described the statements as “not constructive.” The current treatment of Denmark could cause lasting damage to the relationship between the two countries. How can the USA be trusted if NATO ally Denmark is abandoned, asked Coons, representing the state of Delaware. The delegation announced that it would contact US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The eleven parliamentarians who traveled to Denmark tried to make it clear that Trump’s plans were also met with resistance in the USA. The group only included two representatives from Trump’s Republican Party. But this is not a sign that the Republicans are completely uninterested in the issue or have already decided on a side, said Republican US Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Exploration mission with Bundeswehr soldiers
Soldiers and other military personnel from European NATO countries around Germany arrived in Greenland on Friday evening. The Bundeswehr team and its allies are on site for a reconnaissance mission and, according to the Ministry of Defense in Berlin, are supposed to examine conditions for joint military exercises – the aim is to ensure more security. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Great Britain, France and the Netherlands, among others, are sending teams.
There will be demonstrations in the capital Nuuk today as well as in Copenhagen. «We demand respect for Greenland’s right to self-determination and respect for the Greenlandic people. This is not just a fight for Greenland, but also for the whole world,” says Poul Johannesen, initiator of the Greenlandic citizens’ initiative “Hands off Kalaallit Nunaat”. (hkl/sda/dpa)