Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen attends a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office in Berlin, Germany, on January 28, 2025.
Nadja Wollleben | Reuters
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned President Donald Trump to end his threat to acquire Greenland, just one day after the United States carried out a military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“The Kingdom of Denmark, and by extension Greenland, is part of NATO and is therefore subject to the security of the alliance. Today, we have already concluded a defense agreement between the Kingdom and the United States, which gives the United States extensive access to Greenland,” Frederiksen said in a statement on Sunday.
“Therefore, I urge the United States to end its threats against our historically close allies and against other countries and peoples that we have clearly stated are not for sale.”
Frederiksen’s warning came after The Atlantic quoted President Trump as saying, “We absolutely need Greenland.”
President Trump ordered a military operation over the weekend that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The two were brought to the United States on drug-related charges.
The operation comes after months of U.S. military buildups and threats against Venezuela, which the Trump administration claims is complicit in drug trafficking to the United States.
The move to overthrow Maduro has fueled speculation that President Trump’s other territorial ambitions could also be won by force.
Katie Miller, wife of White House chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted a map of Greenland covered in stars and stripes on X shortly after Maduro was detained, with the caption “Coming soon.”
President Trump has long mulled the purchase of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory rich in mineral resources. Last month, he appointed Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry as his special envoy for Greenland. President Trump also spoke openly about making Canada, an independent country, the 51st state of the United States.
Both Greenland and Canada have repeatedly condemned President Trump’s advances.
