> At a Glance
> – Denmark and Greenland have requested an urgent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the Trump administration renewed talk of acquiring Greenland.
> – The White House said Tuesday that “U.S. military is always an option,” prompting Danish PM Mette Frederiksen to warn a takeover would end NATO.
> – Six European leaders reaffirmed that the Arctic island “belongs to its people,” as bipartisan U.S. senators urge respect for Danish sovereignty.
> – Why it matters: A forced annexation would shatter post-war norms on territorial integrity and upend the Atlantic alliance at a time of rising Arctic rivalry.
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and Europe has put it at the center of a diplomatic storm after President Donald Trump repeated his desire to add the island to the United States, describing it as essential for national security amid competition from China and Russia.
Europe Unites Behind Greenland
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K. issued a joint statement Tuesday defending Greenland’s self-rule status and rejecting any coercion. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told France Inter radio that Rubio, in a phone call, dismissed the idea of a Venezuela-style operation, insisting there is “massive support” inside the U.S. for keeping Denmark-and by extension Greenland-inside NATO.
- Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
- Denmark widened a 2023 military pact last June, giving U.S. troops broad access to Danish airbases.
- Copenhagen can terminate the deal if Washington annexes any part of Greenland, lawmakers were told.
Military Reality on the Ground
The Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland is already under U.S. command. Thomas Crosbie, associate professor at the Royal Danish Defense College, says Washington gains no practical security edge by raising the American flag over Nuuk:
> “They already enjoy all of the advantages they want. If there’s any specific security access that they want to improve American security, they’ll be given it as a trusted ally.”
Crosbie warns a takeover could be as simple as directing troops stationed at Pituffik to drive into the capital and declare, “This is America now,” eroding global norms without a shot being fired.
Capitol Hill Pushback
While most Republicans back Trump, the co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group–Democrat Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis-warned:
> “When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Key Takeaways
- Denmark and Greenland’s request for talks with Rubio signals urgent diplomatic damage control.
- A unilateral move on Greenland could fracture NATO unity and embolden other territorial grabs.
- European capitals view the episode as part of a broader pattern of U.S. disregard for post-war rules.
With Arctic shipping lanes opening and great-power competition intensifying, control of Greenland remains a geopolitical prize-one Copenhagen insists is “not for sale.”
