rki.news
Washington —
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday renewed his claim that the United States intends to acquire Greenland from Denmark “one way or the other.” Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the country is considering outright acquisition rather than leasing or short-term arrangements.
“I’d love to make a deal with them. It’s easier, but one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland,” Trump said, arguing that simply maintaining military bases on the island is insufficient. He also questioned whether NATO allies would support the U.S. if needed, claiming the United States is more critical to the alliance than vice versa.
Trump repeated allegations that Russian and Chinese military vessels are active near Greenland, using this claim to justify U.S. acquisition for national security. However, senior Nordic diplomats and Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said there is little to no evidence of Russian or Chinese operations in the area.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson criticized U.S. rhetoric toward Greenland and Denmark, describing it as straining the rules-based international order. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the situation a “fateful moment,” warning that U.S. threats could undermine NATO cooperation and broader Western alliances.
Denmark and Greenland’s foreign ministers, Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Vivian Motzfeldt, are scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week. The White House indicated that using the U.S. military remains an option, though Rubio emphasized that the administration’s goal is to purchase Greenland rather than launch an invasion.
Trump’s repeated statements have drawn widespread international criticism, highlighting escalating tensions between the United States, Denmark, and Nordic allies over the strategically important Arctic territory.