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Trump Revives Greenland Annexation Push After Venezuela Raid, Denmark and Greenland Reject

Updated (3 articles)

Trump links Greenland claim to recent Venezuela operation President Donald Trump announced on January 5 that the United States must take control of Greenland for “national security,” citing a U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and alleging a growing Russian and Chinese presence around the island [1][2][3]. He told reporters the Arctic territory sits on “strategic flight paths for missiles” and framed the demand as part of a broader effort to re‑assert American dominance in the Western Hemisphere [2][3]. The remarks followed a White House National Security Strategy that invokes the Monroe Doctrine to justify a more aggressive posture abroad [2].

Denmark and Greenland dismiss annexation as illegal fantasy Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen called the proposal a “fantasy,” while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared the United States has no right to annex any part of the Danish Kingdom [1][2][3]. Both governments emphasized that Greenland remains a semi‑autonomous territory under Denmark’s foreign‑policy and defence umbrella, citing the 1951 defence agreement and the 2009 self‑rule act as legal barriers [1][3]. Historical attempts in 1867 and 1946 were also rejected, reinforcing the view that any unilateral takeover would breach international law [1].

Jeff Landry named special envoy and social‑media map fuels tensions Trump floated Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana as a “special envoy to Greenland,” and Landry publicly pledged to help make the island part of the United States [1][2][3]. A former Trump aide posted a Stars‑and‑Stripes map of Greenland with the caption “SOON,” prompting outrage from Danish officials and Greenlanders who demanded respect for territorial integrity [2]. Trump has not ruled out the use of force, echoing his 2019 offer to purchase the island and reviving concerns about a possible coercive approach [1].

Strategic and resource motives drive U.S. interest Analysts note Greenland hosts the Pituffik Space Base, a key node in U.S. ballistic‑missile‑defence and early‑warning systems, and its location offers monitoring of Arctic air routes [1][3]. Melting ice is unlocking deposits of rare earths, uranium, iron and other minerals, which Washington cites as secondary to security but which also promise commercial leverage as China expands its Arctic footprint [1][3]. Public opinion in Greenland remains largely opposed to U.S. annexation, even among those favoring independence from Denmark [1].

Sources (3 articles)

Timeline

1867 – The United States makes its first attempt to acquire Greenland, a bid that Denmark rebuffs, establishing a historic precedent for future American interest in the Arctic island. [1]

1946 – Washington offers Denmark $100 million for Greenland, another rejected proposal that underscores the long‑standing diplomatic barrier to U.S. annexation. [1]

1951 – The United States and Denmark sign a defence agreement granting the U.S. a major role at Pituffik Space Base and other Arctic installations, but the treaty stops short of transferring sovereignty. [1]

1979 – Greenland receives home‑rule status, giving the territory internal self‑government while Denmark retains control of foreign affairs and defence. [1]

2009 – A self‑governance accord expands Greenland’s autonomy and formally recognises its right to declare independence, shaping the legal context for any future sovereignty change. [3]

2019 – President Donald Trump publicly offers to buy Greenland, reviving a controversial idea that had lain dormant for decades. [1]

2025 (early) – After returning to the White House, Trump revives the Greenland proposal, appoints Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy, and sends Vice‑President JD Vance on a high‑profile visit, signalling a sustained executive push. [1]

Jan 4, 2025 – Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urges President Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland, calling any annexation “unacceptable” and stressing that the United States has no right to seize part of the Danish Kingdom. [3]

Jan 3, 2026 – The United States conducts a military raid in Venezuela that captures President Nicolás Maduro and transports him to New York, a bold operation that frames Trump’s subsequent Arctic rhetoric. [2]

Jan 4, 2026 – Trump tells The Atlantic that Greenland is “essential for U.S. security,” warning that the island is surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships; the White House offers no comment on the annexation question. [2]

Jan 4, 2026 – Trump floats naming Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland; Landry says he would help make Greenland a part of the United States. [2]

Jan 4, 2026 – Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen reiterates that the United States “has no right to annex any part of the Danish Kingdom” and defends the NATO alliance amid rising tensions. [2]

Jan 5, 2026 – Trump renews his push to take Greenland, declaring the island “so strategic” and insisting the United States needs it “for national security, not minerals.” [1]

Jan 5, 2026 – Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen dismisses the U.S. proposal as a “fantasy” and declares “that’s enough now,” reflecting local outrage. [1]

Jan 5, 2026 – Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen states, “the US has no right to annex any of the three nations in the Danish kingdom,” underscoring the legal and diplomatic barrier to any takeover. [1]

Jan 5, 2026 – Trump refuses to rule out the use of force, citing Greenland’s strategic missile‑flight paths, its Pituffik Space Base, and the island’s melting ice that opens access to rare‑earths, uranium and iron. [1]

Jan 5, 2026 – Polling shows the majority of Greenlanders oppose U.S. annexation, preferring independence; locals echo the sentiment “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders,” highlighting popular resistance to any sovereignty change. [1]

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