Trump Agrees U.S. Will Annex Greenland As Country Insists On Independence

Topline

President Donald Trump agreed in a White House meeting Thursday he believes the U.S. will annex Greenland, according to multiple outlets, a far different proposal than the one he alluded to in his address to Congress, when he said he supported Greenland’s right to determine its own future as the territory remains opposed against a U.S. takeover following a crucial parliamentary election this week.

Key Facts

When asked by a reporter what his vision is for the potential annexation of Greenland, Trump said, “Yeah, well, I think it’ll happen,” turning to North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte and adding “we’ll be talking to you,” according to CNBC.

Rutte hedged Trump’s comment, saying when it comes to Greenland potentially joining the U.S., “I would leave that outside for me this discussion, because I don’t want to direct NATO in that.”

Trump challenged Denmark’s partial control of the island and reemphasized his claim that Greenland is needed for national security.

The president, who has not ruled out military force to acquire Greenland, also noted the U.S. military’s presence on the island, likely referring to the U.S. Space Force’s Pituffik Space Base on the northwest coast of Greenland, and saying “we have quite a few soldiers, maybe you’ll see more and more soldiers go there, I don’t know.”

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What Has Trump Said About Controlling Greenland?

The president has given conflicting statements about his wishes for Greenland to become part of the U.S. In January, Trump said he would not rule out military intervention or economic penalties to take control of Greenland, threatening “very high” tariffs against Denmark if it tries to intervene. However, in an address to Congress last month, Trump directly addressed the people of Greenland and said the U.S. strongly supports the island’s right to determine its own future, adding “if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”

What Is Annexation?

Annexation is the process of incorporating one state’s territory into another, sometimes without consent of the area being annexed. It is unclear how the annexation of Greenland would be carried out by the U.S. since Denmark still partially controls the island. The United Nations, which both the U.S. and Denmark are a part of, considers annexations conducted through threats or use of force a violation of international law and the UN charter.

Key Background

Greenland’s Demokraatit party won the largest share of the island’s 31 parliamentary seats in an election this week. The party favors a slow approach to gaining independence from Denmark, which controls Greenland’s foreign and defense policies. It has also been critical of a potential takeover by the U.S., with party leader Jens–Frederik Nielsen telling Sky News he hopes the election “sends a clear message to him that we are not for sale…We don't want to be Americans… We want to be Greenlanders.” Leaders in other Greenland parties have also opposed Trump’s proposal, in addition to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said in January “Greenland is not for sale.”

Further Reading

Greenland Elections Don’t Fully Back Trump’s Takeover Talk. Here’s Why. (Forbes)

Why Does Trump Want To Buy Greenland? What To Know As Danish Prime Minister Says It’s ‘Not For Sale’ (Forbes)