The autonomous Danish territory states that NATO is responsible for the island’s defense and that it will not accept occupation by the United States.
Published January 12, 2026
Greenland’s government firmly rejects US President Donald Trump’s threats and says it will not accept a US takeover “under any circumstances”.
The Dominion of Denmark also emphasized its membership in NATO in a statement on Monday, saying the defense of its territory rests with the transatlantic alliance.
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“The United States has reiterated its desire to take over Greenland, something that Greenland’s governing coalition cannot tolerate under any circumstances,” the island’s coalition government said.
“As part of the Danish Federation, Greenland is a NATO member state and therefore Greenland’s defense must be carried out through NATO,” it added.
President Trump continues to claim he will occupy Greenland, threatening that the region will come under U.S. control “in some form.” The threats have angered European allies, who have warned that occupying Greenland would have a serious impact on relations between the United States and Europe.
Last week, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom issued statements expressing support for Copenhagen and Greenland amid the threat from the United States.
President Trump said that if the United States does not seize control of Greenland, where it already has a military base, the influence of Russia, China and others will grow even stronger.
European leaders have expressed hope that increased security cooperation in the Arctic could help appease Mr. Trump. Despite proposing further steps to address US concerns, the US president continued to insist that Greenland must be “owned” by the US.
President Trump has used U.S. military power around the world with little regard for international law, attacking Venezuela and kidnapping President Nicolas Maduro earlier this month and making further threats against countries including Iran, Colombia and Mexico.
“All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security,” NATO chief Mark Rutte said at a news conference in Croatia on Monday. “There is a risk that Russia and China will become more active as sea lanes open.”
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the United States should not use China as an “excuse” to pursue its own interests.
“The rights and freedoms of all countries operating in the Arctic in accordance with the law should be fully respected,” Mao Ning said at a news conference, but he did not explicitly mention Greenland. “The United States should not use other countries as an excuse to pursue its own interests.”
