Greenland leaders rebuke U.S. bid for control, insist on self‑determination

Greenland’s leading politicians delivered a unified and forceful rebuke to renewed American overtures to acquire the island, saying the question of Greenland’s future belongs to its people and must be settled in accordance with international law. The joint statement, issued Friday night and signed by Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen and party leaders Pele Broberg, Múte B. Egede, Aleqa Hammond and Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen, insisted on Greenlandic control of the conversation about sovereignty.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the leaders wrote, underlining domestic sensitivity to outside interference after centuries of colonial relationships. They added that “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people” and warned that “the United States’ contempt for our country ends,” framing the U.S. position as an affront to local self‑rule and post‑colonial dignity.

The rebuke followed public remarks by President Donald Trump reiterating a desire to “make a deal to acquire Greenland,” and stating the United States would prefer to do so “the easy way” while warning that “if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way.” U.S. officials have framed such moves as strategic steps to limit Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic; the White House acknowledged it was considering a range of options, and some U.S. officials say those options could include military measures, raising alarm across the region.

Denmark, which retains responsibility for Greenland’s defense, has signaled sharp displeasure. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly warned that an American takeover would “mark the end of NATO,” a stark statement that highlights the broader alliance implications of any unilateral territorial acquisition among partners. Officials from Denmark, Greenland and the United States met in Washington on Thursday for consultations and planned follow‑up talks the next week, as diplomatic channels worked to contain the controversy.

Local sentiment appears strongly opposed. Polling indicates roughly 85 percent of Greenlanders oppose a U.S. takeover, and residents staged protests in Nuuk amid widespread expressions of frustration. Greenland, a semiautonomous territory with about 57,000 inhabitants, relies on Denmark for defense; it lacks its own military and depends on international law and bilateral arrangements to manage sovereignty issues.

The episode has immediate geopolitical and economic ramifications. Markets sensitive to geopolitical risk could see increased volatility in defense contractors and Arctic‑focused investment vehicles if the dispute escalates, while projects tied to Greenland’s mineral and energy prospects face heightened uncertainty. Longer term, the confrontation underscores accelerating strategic competition in the Arctic as melting ice opens access to resources and shipping routes, prompting states to reassess basing, alliances and resource diplomacy.

For Greenlanders, the moment is also a test of political agency. The leaders’ joint statement sought to put Greenlandic voices at the center of any discussion about sovereignty, signaling that external strategic calculations will not override domestic decision making. How Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk reconcile security imperatives with respect for self‑determination will shape NATO cohesion and Arctic governance for years to come.