President Donald Trump on Jan. 9, 2026 declared at the White House, “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” reviving his plan to acquire the Arctic island. The comments – part of a renewed push that he first voiced in 2019 – immediately drew strong rebukes from Denmark, Greenland and U.S. officials, all insisting the territory “is not for sale”.

Trump’s Renewed Push for Greenland

In early January 2026 the White House confirmed that Mr. Trump had again made Greenland a U.S. priority. On Jan. 9, during a meeting with oil executives at the White House, Trump told reporters: “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not. Because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor”.

He similarly told reporters a day earlier aboard Air Force One that “we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security…It’s so strategic”.

Reuters reports that a White House statement described Greenland as vital “to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” and confirmed the administration is exploring “a range of options,” even saying that “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option” if needed.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Jan. 10 that Trump and his advisers were “looking at what a potential purchase would look like”.

In Congress, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Jan. 12 that Trump would prefer to “buy the island” rather than invade it, and planned to meet Danish counterparts soon.

Mr. Trump first raised the idea during his first term (calling it “essentially a real estate deal”), but had put it aside for months. Sources say it was revived in late 2025 after a U.S. operation in Venezuela (the capture of President Nicolás Maduro) reinvigorated Trump’s push for hemispheric dominance.

Greenland and Danish Authorities Object

Officials in Copenhagen and Nuuk immediately rejected the overture. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen posted on Jan. 9: “Enough is enough … No more fantasies about annexation.” Greenland’s delegation to Washington similarly told U.S. legislators bluntly, “Greenland is not for sale…Our country belongs to the Greenlandic people,” after meeting with members of Congress.

In Nuuk, all five party leaders issued a united statement: “We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders”.

Likewise, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen – speaking Jan. 11 at a rally – warned her nation was at a “fateful moment,” saying that if the U.S. were to threaten a NATO ally “everything stops, including NATO and the security the alliance has provided”.

On Dec. 22, Frederiksen and Nielsen had jointly affirmed: “National borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law…You cannot annex another country…Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.”. Denmark’s government likewise noted that it “cannot let Greenland go without losing its geopolitical relevance,” and Europe’s defense officials warned that any U.S. move against a NATO member would provoke a severe crisis.

International and U.S. Responses

European allies quickly rallied behind Copenhagen and Nuuk. On Jan. 10, leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement stressing that “only Greenland and Denmark can decide matters regarding their relations”.

Sweden’s prime minister publicly condemned the “threatening rhetoric,” noting Denmark’s long loyalty to NATO. In Washington, reaction was also swift. Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike rejected Trump’s proposal.

At a Jan. 8 briefing, Senate NATO-observer chairs Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) said flatly that “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”.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) agreed after meeting Danish and Greenlandic envoys that “that future does not include a negotiation” and “there is no willingness” in Copenhagen or Nuuk to cede control. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) downplayed talk of military action, saying “nobody’s seriously considering” it in Congress.

Vice President J.D. Vance, however, insisted Jan. 10 that allies should “take the president … seriously,” arguing Greenland is “really important” for U.S. missile defense and must be kept out of hostile hands. Through it all, Trump has said he hopes to negotiate a “deal” first (the “easy way”) but added sternly that “if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way”.

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