Greenlandic Government Secretary Jens Frederik Nielsen speaks during a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland on January 5, 2026. On January 5, 2026, Denmark’s prime minister warned that a US attack on the NATO ally would be the end of “everything” after US President Donald Trump reiterated his desire to annex Greenland.
Oscar Scott Karl AFP | Getty Images
Greenland’s prime minister on Monday sought to downplay the possibility of an imminent takeover attempt by the United States, following President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in the mineral-rich Arctic island.
At a press conference shortly after President Trump’s military operation in Venezuela last weekend, Greenland’s Jens Frederik Nielsen dismissed concerns that something similar could happen in the autonomous Danish territory.
“This is not a situation where the United States can easily conquer Greenland,” Greenland’s Nielsen said at a press conference on Monday.
“We’re not really a good country to compare to Venezuela,” he added, according to a CNBC translation.
“We are a democratic country and have been for many years, so when you look at the big picture, I can understand some people’s concerns,” Nielsen said.
“We want to build on and re-establish the cooperation that we have had with the United States, especially the good cooperation that we have had so far.”
Europe’s political leaders have rallied around Greenland and Denmark, which is responsible for defending the autonomous island, since President Trump reiterated his ambitions in the wake of the U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
On Monday night, President Trump said in an interview with NBC News that he was “very serious” about his intentions to acquire Greenland, but acknowledged there was “no timeline” for doing so.
“We need Greenland from a national security standpoint,” the U.S. president, who has long claimed control of Greenland, said on Air Force One on Sunday.
Danish Prime Minister: US occupation of Greenland will bring an end to NATO
Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that the US occupation of Greenland would be tantamount to the end of the NATO military alliance.
“I think we should take seriously what the president of the United States has said about wanting Greenland,” Frederiksen told Danish broadcaster TV2 on Monday, according to a translation by CNBC.
“But I also want to be clear that if the United States chooses to attack another NATO member militarily, everything will stop, including our own NATO and, by extension, the security that has been provided to us since the end of World War II,” she added.
Traditional painted houses overlooking sea ice in the Old Nuuk neighborhood near Mount Selmitsiak in Nuuk, Greenland, Thursday, April 3, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Copenhagen has sought to improve relations with Greenland in recent months, pledging to increase spending on health and infrastructure, while also trying to ease tensions with the Trump administration by investing in Arctic defense, including the purchase of 16 more F-35 fighter jets.
Previous polls have shown that while an overwhelming majority of Greenlanders oppose U.S. rule, a majority support independence from Denmark.
