Following the successful capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Donald Trump has shifted his focus to other countries, including Greenland.
After Maduro’s arrest, Trump has begun issuing warnings to nations such as Colombia, Mexico, and Cuba.
While on Air Force One, Trump accused Colombia of being led by a ‘sick man’ involved in drug trafficking with the United States.
He criticized Mexico, suggesting the country is dominated by cartels and that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is overwhelmed by the situation.
Trump briefly mentioned Cuba, claiming the nation is on the brink of collapse without Venezuelan support.
However, it is Trump’s ongoing comments regarding Greenland that have drawn significant attention, as he emphasizes its importance to U.S. security.
Trump initially raised the prospect of acquiring Greenland in March 2025, stating: “One way or the other, we’re going to get Greenland.”
Despite the continued discussion about potentially gaining control of Greenland, there has been no support from the island’s residents or the Danish government.
Since temporarily taking control of Venezuela, Trump has repeatedly mentioned his desire to annex Greenland as he stresses its strategic importance to the U.S.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump expressed his seriousness about acquiring Greenland for national security reasons.
“We need Greenland for national security, and that includes Europe,” he said.
Trump reiterated that Greenland is ‘very important for the national security of the US, Europe, and other parts of the free world.’
In a conversation with The Atlantic, Trump asserted that the U.S. ‘absolutely’ needs the island, regardless of the local populace’s opinion.
In response to Trump’s comments, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen released a statement dismissing the notion of a U.S. takeover of Greenland as nonsensical.
Frederiksen warned that any attack on Greenland would be considered an attack on NATO.
“If the United States decides to militarily attack another Nato country, then everything would stop – that includes Nato and therefore post-second world war security,” Frederiksen told Danish television network TV2.
Greenland’s critical geographic location between Europe and North America makes it a pivotal site for the U.S. ballistic missile defense system, a key reason for Trump’s interest in acquiring it.
There are also economic motivations, as Greenland is abundant in mineral resources that could reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese imports.
Despite Trump’s ambitions, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has made it clear that his country has no plans to concede to U.S. desires.
On social media, Nielsen urged Trump to abandon his ‘fantasies about annexation’ and condemned the U.S. rhetoric as ‘completely and utterly unacceptable.’
“Threats, pressure and talk of annexation have no place between friends,” Nielsen stated.
“That is not how you speak to a people who have shown responsibility, stability, and loyalty time and again. Enough is enough. No more pressure. No more innuendo. No more fantasies about annexation.”