Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, multiple territories have seen their sovereignty challenged by the American President’s ambitions for annexation. One of the latest territories to fear for its security is Greenland.
The territory has been part of the Kingdom of Denmark since the nineteenth century, gradually gaining autonomy by establishing its own government and enjoying participation in international organizations like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the European Union (EU) through Denmark’s membership. However, in recent months, Greenland has seen its sovereignty and security threatened by claims from Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Tensions escalated last week when the White House announced that JD Vance’s wife would travel to the island to attend its national dogsled race and to “celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity”. Along with the Second Lady, U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, will visit Greenland, though the purpose of his visit remains unclear.
When interviewed by local media, Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte B. Egede expressed that, given President Trump’s desire to annex the autonomous Danish territory, a planned visit of U.S. officials would be considered “highly aggressive”.. In the eyes of the Greenlandic Prime Minister, Mike Walt’s visit aims to demonstrate America’s power over the territory, fueling the American desire to accomplish Trump’s mission and increase pressure over Greenland’s government. For Greenland’s future prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the American visit represents a lack of respect towards the island and its people, given that the country’s electoral process has not yet finished and negotiations are ongoing.
In addition to this statement, Danish government officials have also expressed their concern over the visit and have remarked that it represents an “unacceptable pressure” towards the territory. However, Trump has affirmed to the media that he has received support from Greenlanders who are seeking more protection, and that he believes that Greenland might be in America’s near future. It must be noted, nevertheless, that a recent survey performed in Greenland concluded that 85% of its inhabitants do not want the territory to be annexed to the U.S.
Trump’s eagerness to annex Greenland has shone a spotlight on the territory, which currently holds vast amounts of rare earth minerals that are widely used by high-tech industries. Additionally, Trump’s claims have threatened the island’s security given that Russia, China, and the U.S. strive for influence in the Arctic. In order to achieve this goal, Trump has expressed that the U.S. intends on taking the island either by force or economic coercion, even though both Greenland and Denmark have refuted the idea and see the use of force and coercion as a major hazard.
Moreover, Vice-President JD Vance has shared that the U.S. wants to establish good relationships with everybody, including Greenland, even if that means demonstrating its strength. This aligns with Trump’s statement about using force or economic coercion to achieve the territory’s annexation. Furthering his previous claim, Vance stated that Denmark has long neglected Greenland and that the U.S. no longer can disregard the suspected intentions of Russia and China toward the island. The latter statement demonstrates U.S. concerns over Greenland’s vulnerability, which could serve as a justification for increasing its presence with “no other option”. Vance has repeatedly shared that Greenland can increase its security by allowing the U.S. to protect it.
Experts such as Michael Williams, a professor of International Politics at the University of Ottawa, regard Trump’s strategy to acquire Greenland as part of a greater international strategy aimed to exert American influence over key territories. Proof of this strategy is the desire to annex Greenland and Canada, both of which hold key Arctic waterways currently contested by other international powers such as China and Russia.
Featured image courtesy of Christian Klindt Soelbeck 2025.
