Is the American president Donald tramp he looks at it again Grenland? The year 2026 has barely begun, and Trump has already invaded Venezuela, kidnapped its embattled leader Nicolas Maduro, and renewed threats against several other sovereign territories – including the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland.
Denmark: US "has no right to annex" Greenland
Concerns have grown in Europe following a recent social media post by Katie Mueller, the wife of senior White House official Stephen Mueller, and an interview Trump gave to The Atlantic. In it, the US president repeated his long-standing claim: "We absolutely need Greenland. We need it for defense."
On Sunday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen completely rejected those statements.
US Trump Jr GreenlandResistance to Trump in Greenland and Denmark / Photo: Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP
"It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US taking over Greenland," Frederiksen said. "The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Kingdom of Denmark," she said.
This is not the first time Trump has floated the idea of annexing Greenland. He offered to buy it several times and did not rule out military force either. However, the renewed rhetoric comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, raising questions about how Europe would react if words were translated into action.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and Denmark is a NATO ally of the United States. Any attempt to annex the islands would effectively end the transatlantic alliance, says Jakob Funk Kierkegaard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
In January 2025, a poll showed that the majority of Greenlanders, about 56 percent, wanted independence from Denmark. But it also showed that almost no one is in favor of joining the United States - only 6 percent said they were in favor of that option.
Frozen treasure fever
What does Trump want in Greenland?
Photo: AP Photo/Evan VucciDonald Trump: America needs Greenland / Photo: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Trump presented his interest as a matter of national security, claiming that Greenland is "surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships."
That claim is incorrect, both Kierkegaard and Michael Paul of the German think tank Foundation for Science and Politics (SWP) told DW. However, Greenland possesses vast untapped natural resources, including oil and key minerals – a similarity it shares with Venezuela. But according to Paul, the problem goes beyond the raw materials themselves.
"Both Greenland and Denmark are open to more American involvement," says Paul. "Just a year ago, Greenland's mining minister wrote in The Washington Post that without major American investments, Greenland will increasingly have to turn to other investors, even China," he adds.
Greenland Visit Trump Jr.Donakd Tramp Junior (second right) measure Greenland / Photo: Emil Stach/Ritzau Scanpix via AP
The problem, however, is not primarily a military approach. Denmark has already increased its military presence around the islands, and the United States could do the same under existing agreements. "If Trump wanted more US troops, deploying them wouldn't be a problem," Kierkegaard notes. "There is a defense agreement between the United States and Denmark," he reminds.
Kierkegaard believes that Trump's motivation seems more symbolic than strategic. "The reality is that he seems to have concluded that he wants to make America bigger on the map," he says. "It's not rational -- and it's something that only Congress or the Supreme Court can block."
What can the EU do to protect Greenland?
The European Union has long struggled to find a balance between preserving transatlantic ties and asserting its own strategic autonomy. Following Trump's latest statements, EU officials announced on January 5 that the bloc "supports the universal principles of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially if a member state is threatened."
"If Trump decides to annex Greenland by force, very little can be done in the short term," Kierkegaard told DW. "That goes for Greenland, for Denmark and for the EU."
Greenland Election Photo EssayPhoto: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
For now, diplomacy remains Europe's main weapon. EU officials say that no formal talks with Washington are planned, but Kierkegaard believes that the most effective channel for Brussels would be informal contact with the US Congress. Any annexation – or major military action – would still require congressional approval. Kierkegaard states that European leaders could make clear what is at stake: the collapse of NATO, the closing of US bases in Europe and potential sanctions against US companies operating in the EU.
Imperial logic and collective hypnosis
Are developments in Venezuela a warning sign?
Events in Venezuela offer two lessons. First, the Trump administration did not notify Congress in advance of its operation against Maduro. Critics see this move as testing the limits of presidential power. Second, the EU again reacted cautiously, calling for respect for international law, but at the same time refraining from condemning its most important ally.
The case of Venezuela highlights how unpredictable the US president can be. As 2026 begins, European leaders are preparing for a difficult year - one in which their transatlantic balancing act could become even more difficult.
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