Greenland is a sparsely populated, mineral-rich country
Leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK, and Denmark issued a joint statement yesterday condemning President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in annexing Greenland.
The criticism came in the aftermath of the capture of Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, by the US military.
The group emphasized that Arctic security must remain a collective effort, and as a NATO member, the US must uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The letter explicitly stated that Greenland belongs solely to its people and that its status is a matter for the people of Denmark and Greenland to decide.
Tension escalated after Trump told NBC News he was “very serious” about acquiring Greenland and that there was “no timeline” for it. He claims the US needs Greenland for national security reasons.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected Trump’s comment as a violation of international law. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also issued a stark warning, noting that a forced takeover would end the NATO alliance.
On Monday night, when asked to rule out using force, the president’s deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, said “nobody [was] going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” While talking to CNN, Miller also said that military intervention would not be required due to the country’s small population. Meanwhile, the White House hinted at “utilizing the US military” to acquire Greenland.
Trump’s plan to invade Greenland has received bipartisan pushback from Congressional members.
Why does Trump want Greenland?
Greenland is a sparsely populated, mineral-rich country. It has vast deposits of rare earth minerals, which are essential for computer chips, EVs, and weapons.
But extracting those minerals is challenging due to the region’s harsh weather and terrain.