Mette Frederiksen’s warning came after President Trump threatened to retake control of Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any attempt by the United States to seize Greenland will bring about the end of the NATO military alliance, as the aftermath of the US military attack on Venezuela and the abduction of its leader is felt around the world.
Frederiksen made the comments on Monday in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s recent comments calling for the Arctic island to be brought under direct control of Washington.
President Trump told reporters on Sunday that he would “talk about Greenland in the next 20 days.” He has argued that Greenland should be placed under US jurisdiction, and his latest threat comes just one day after US forces abducted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife.
The military operation caused alarm in Denmark and Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark and part of NATO.
“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO member militarily, everything stops,” Frederiksen said.
“This also includes NATO and, by extension, the security that has been provided since the end of World War II,” she told Danish broadcaster TV2.
President Trump has not ruled out using military force to take control of Greenland, and last month appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, who has publicly supported annexation, as special envoy to the mineral-rich Arctic island.
Katie Miller, wife of President Trump’s chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted a controversial image to her X-feed on Saturday depicting the autonomous region of Denmark in the colors of the American flag.
Her post was accompanied by the word “soon.”
Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen criticized the post, calling it “disrespectful”.
“Relations between states and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law, not on symbolic acts that disregard our status and rights,” he said in X.
But he added: “There’s no need to panic or worry. Our country is not for sale and our future will not be determined by social media posts.”
Greenland’s strategic location between Europe and North America makes it a key hub for the U.S. ballistic missile defense system, and its mineral wealth is attractive as the U.S. government seeks to reduce its dependence on Chinese exports.
“Greenland is covered in Russian and Chinese ships everywhere,” President Trump said on Sunday.
“We need Greenland from a national security point of view, but Denmark will not be able to do that,” he added.
Nielsen has sought to allay concerns among island residents.
“We’re not in a situation where we think we can take over the country overnight. That’s why we insist on good cooperation,” he told a news conference on Monday.
“This is not a situation where the United States can easily conquer Greenland,” Nielsen added.
