ANALYSIS: Trump announced a historic Greenland deal. What does it mean for the USA, Denmark and Greenland?

Trump confirmed he was considering acquiring Greenland, calling it a large real estate deal, but stated that the issue was not among his top priorities, as reported by The New Republic. Denmark called the idea absurd, and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that Greenland is not for sale. Trump subsequently cancelled a planned visit to Denmark.

following his re-election, Trump wrote that for the sake of national security and global freedom, the US considers the ownership and control of Greenland an absolute necessity, The New Republic reported. Greenland's then-Prime Minister Múte Egede responded that Greenland is not for sale and will never be for sale.

Trump refused to rule out the use of military or economic pressure to gain control of Greenland. According to the House of Commons Library, he threatened Denmark with very high tariffs if the country obstructed the US from taking over Greenland. Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic representative in the Danish parliament, stated that Greenlanders do not intend to be pawns in Trump's dream of expanding his domain, The New Republic wrote. In January 2025, Denmark also sent private messages to Trump's team expressing readiness to strengthen Greenland's security or increase the US military presence there, Axios reported.

Múte Egede said that Greenlanders do not want to be Danes or Americans, and repeated this after Trump's March speech, the Council on Foreign Relations reported. At the same time, Greenlandic officials were ready to discuss strengthening existing defense cooperation on the island.

2025, Trump said in a speech that he supports the right of Greenlanders to determine their own future, but added that the US will get Greenland one way or another and will make the Greenlanders rich.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of the Democrats party, said that Greenlanders do not want to be Americans or Danes, but desire independence in the future and to build their own country. On March 27, four Greenlandic parties formed a coalition with a primary goal of resisting US control efforts; Nielsen became prime minister.

Trump said he believed acquiring Greenland was possible without military force, but did not rule out its use, Axios reported. On May 4, he again refused to rule out the use of military force.

Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy for Greenland matters and told the BBC that the US needs the island for national defense and must have it. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the appointment and the accompanying rhetoric unacceptable and disturbing, and summoned the US ambassador, Axios wrote. Danish and Greenlandic officials broadly criticized the appointment.

Trump said that the US definitely needs Greenland for defense, as in his view, Denmark is unable to protect the island from security threats. Mette Frederiksen called on Trump to stop the threats against a historically close ally and a country and people that had refused to sell. She emphasized that the US has no right to annex any of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Denmark, together with other European allies, confirmed that Greenland belongs to its people and that issues concerning Denmark and Greenland can only be decided by them.

Trump said the US would do something regarding the Greenland issue whether others liked it or not. He said he preferred a simple agreement but threatened to act forcefully otherwise. By January 12, the Greenlandic government had announced that it could not agree to a US takeover under any circumstances, wrote the Council on Foreign Relations.

Trump said the US needs Greenland for national security and the planned Golden Dome defense system, and that NATO should help bring the island under US control. He added that nothing less than US ownership of Greenland would be acceptable, CNBC reported. On the same day, he said Denmark would be unable to do anything against a potential attempt by Russia or China, whereas the US could. Talks between the foreign ministers of the US, Denmark, and Greenland ended without a resolution.

Trump threatened to impose a ten percent additional tariff on Denmark and seven other European countries starting February 1, and 25 percent starting June 1, until an agreement for the full purchase of Greenland is reached, the House of Commons Library reported. On the same day, the commander of Denmark's Joint Arctic Command, Søren Andersen, rejected the immediate part of Trump's security argument, saying that Denmark saw no direct threat to Greenland from China or Russia at that time.

Trump wrote that Greenland is essential for national and global security and that there is no turning back. Asked how far he was willing to go to acquire the island, he replied that it remains to be seen, CNBC wrote. Greenland's Minister of Business, Naaja Nathanielsen, said that treating the island as a commodity or asset to be purchased, along with threats of military action and occupation, has left people bewildered and distressed. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated that military conflict is not likely, but it cannot be ruled out.

Trump said in Davos that he did not want or intend to use force to obtain Greenland, but demanded immediate negotiations on the acquisition of the island. After a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, he announced a framework for a future agreement concerning Greenland and the Arctic and dropped the proposed tariffs. Wikipedia summarizes this turn as a promise not to use force or tariffs to annex Greenland.

but in an undated statement related to a NATO summit, Trump later announced that Greenland should be under the control of the US, not Denmark.