Greenland parties reject US pressure as Trump warns of ‘hard way’ to secure island: 'Not for sale'

Danish and Greenlandic officials have indicated they are open to expanded US cooperation under existing frameworks, but insist the island is not for sale.

• Greenland rejects US and Danish control, insists on making its own decisions.
• Trump renews interest in Greenland, warns against Russian or Chinese influence
• Greenlandic lawmakers dismiss US payment offers, stressing dignity over money

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Greenland’s political leadership, on Friday, issued a rare show of unity after US President Donald Trump renewed claims over the Arctic island, declaring that its future can only be decided by Greenlanders themselves.

In a joint statement, leaders of all five parties represented in Greenland’s parliament, the Inatsisartut, rejected any suggestion of US or Danish control over the semi-autonomous territory.

“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said, stressing that decisions about the island’s status rest solely with its people.

The parties also urged Washington to end what they described as a dismissive attitude toward Greenland. “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders,” they noted.

The statement came after Trump again asserted his interest in taking control of Greenland, citing its strategic importance in the Arctic.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump, the same day, warned that the US would act to prevent China or Russia from gaining influence on the island. “We’re going to do something about Greenland, whether people like it or not,” he noted, further adding, “We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour.”

While saying he preferred a negotiated outcome, Trump did not rule out coercive measures. “I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” he said.

Greenland, home to about 57,000 people and largely covered by ice, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally. Trump’s repeated remarks about acquiring the island have sparked concern across Europe, particularly as he has not excluded the use of economic or military pressure.

Denmark too has firmly rejected Trump’s claims. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any US attack on Greenland would undermine NATO and threaten the post-World War II security order.

Meanwhile, Greenlandic lawmakers in Denmark have also dismissed reports that the Trump administration has discussed offering direct payments to Greenlanders to entice them to break away from Denmark and join the US. Earlier, it had been reported by Reuters that sums ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person had been floated.

“No amount of money can buy our national soul,” said Aaja Chemnitz, one of Greenland’s two representatives in the Danish parliament. “It’s disrespectful to think that you can buy a people. What use is a one-off payment when your entire foundation is being torn away?”

Aki-Matilda Hoegh-Dam, another Greenlandic lawmaker in Copenhagen from the pro-independence Naleraq party, also ruled out any such deal. “We are not a commodity to be traded as human beings,” she said. “No matter how much money one might offer, it would still be too cheap. It is just as much about dignity.”

While independence from Denmark has long been debated in Greenland, opinion polls show strong opposition to joining the US. This sentiment was strongly reflected in elections last year, when most voters backed parties favouring a gradual path toward independence rather than an abrupt change.

Chemnitz warned that US control would rapidly erode Greenland’s culture and way of life. “Unlike the US, Greenland is not a capitalist society,” she said. “For us, it is about community, about our families and social ties. We live in harmony with nature and want to preserve that way of life.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has called Trump’s rhetoric “completely unacceptable,” telling the US president earlier this week, “Enough is enough. No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation.”

The US already maintains access to Greenland under a 1951 defence agreement and operates the Pituffik Space Base in the island’s northwest, a key site for missile warning and space surveillance. Danish and Greenlandic officials have indicated they are open to expanded US cooperation under existing frameworks, but insist the island is not for sale.