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President Donald Trump has reignited global backlash by appointing a special U.S. envoy with an explicit mission to bring Greenland under American control, a move that prompted the Arctic island’s prime minister to issue a swift and public rejection.
“Our future is decided by ourselves,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on Facebook. “Greenland is our country.”
The appointment of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy has pulled Trump’s long-dormant Greenland ambitions back into the spotlight. Landry said openly that his goal is to “make Greenland a part of the U.S.,” echoing Trump’s own blunt insistence that the territory is critical to American security.
Greenland, which belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark but governs its own internal affairs, has the legal right to choose its future. That includes remaining with Denmark, becoming fully independent, or, in theory, joining another country. But the public mood is overwhelmingly clear: polls show 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining the U.S., and nearly half see Trump’s interest as a threat.
Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded jointly, stressing that borders and sovereignty are protected by international law and cannot be annexed.
Trump’s rhetoric has only fueled concern. While he told Congress earlier this year that he supports Greenlanders’ right to self-determination, he followed that statement by saying the U.S. would acquire the territory “one way or another.” He has also refused to rule out the use of force.
The renewed push underscores Greenland’s growing strategic value. The island is massive, more than three times the size of Texas, and sits along critical Arctic sea routes linking Europe and North America. It also hosts a U.S. missile defense base used to track potential missile launches from Russia.
Climate change has added another layer to the stakes. Melting ice is expected to open new shipping routes across the Arctic while exposing rare earth minerals vital for modern technology and green energy, resources currently dominated by China.
That mix of geography, security, and resources helps explain Washington’s interest. But Greenland’s leadership insists the island is not a bargaining chip.
For now, the message from Nuuk is firm and unmistakable: Greenland is not for sale.
*Source: Yahoo News
