- - Denmark's PM urges Trump to 'stop the threats' of annexing Greenland

LEAH SARNOFFJanuary 4, 2026 at 10:41 PM

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The prime minister of Denmark called on President Donald Trump to "stop the threats" of the U.S. annexing Greenland. It comes after public comments from Trump and the wife of top adviser Stephen Miller garnered international attention.

"I have to say this very directly to the United States," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen wrote in a statement on X on Sunday.

"It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the United States needing to take over Greenland. The U.S. has no right to annex one of the three countries in the Danish Kingdom.

Denmark doesn't 'appreciate the tone' of US Greenland remarks, minister says

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also released a statement, saying, "Our country is not an object of superpower rhetoric. We are a people. A country. A democracy. This has to be respected."

In an interview published in The Atlantic on Sunday, Trump was asked about his repeated calls for the U.S. to annex Greenland in the name of national security, saying, "We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense."

Alex Brandon/AP - PHOTO: President Donald Trump listens as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at Mar-a-Lago club, Jan. 3, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla.

On Saturday, Katie Miller, the wife of Trump's deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser Stephen Miller, posted a picture on X of the American flag over the map of Greenland. She captioned the post, "SOON."

Prime Minister Nielsen referenced "disrespectful posts on social media" in his statement on Sunday.

"We are open to conversations. But it has to be through the right channels and with respect to international law. And the right channels are not random and disrespectful posts on social media," he said.

Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Houses are pictured in Nuuk, Greenland, on June 15, 2025.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday night, Trump was asked about his comments on Greenland, to which he reiterated, “We need Greenland from a national security situation. It's so strategic right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”

Asked how he’d justify taking the country, Trump claimed that it would be for national security and in the European Union’s best interest, too.

“I just say this, we need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and the European Union needs us to have it, and they know that,” he said.

Last month, Trump appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland, drawing contempt from Frederiksen and Nielsen.

"You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security," the leaders said in a joint statement at the time. "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland."

Greenland has been in the Danish Kingdom since the early 18th century, but was granted home rule in 1979.

Trump's special envoy to Greenland sparks backlash with comments about taking over the territory

In her statement on Sunday, Frederiksen noted that Denmark, and Greenland by extension, are NATO members, which makes them covered by the alliance's security guarantee.

"I would therefore strongly urge the United States to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly said that they are not for sale."

Nurphoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images - PHOTO: EU Leaders Summit On Mercosur And Ukraine

The discourse surrounding Greenland comes a day after the United States conducted land strikes on Venezuela and the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife were captured and arrested.

They were brought to New York City, where they face a 4-count superseding indictment that accuses them of conspiring with violent, dangerous drug traffickers for the last 25 years.

ABC News' Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

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Source: “AOL Breaking”