In a statement, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “We are aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark. It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead.”
He added that “any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom will, of course, be unacceptable,” and noted that he had “asked the Foreign Ministry to summon the US charge d’affaires for a meeting at the ministry.”
Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly stated that the US needs the strategically located, resource-rich semi-autonomous Danish territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it.
Greenland’s Public Opinion
According to a January opinion poll, the majority of Greenland’s 57,000 people want to become independent from Denmark but do not wish to become part of the United States.
In the wake of Trump’s proposal, Denmark has sought to strengthen its relationship with Greenland, a former colony that is now a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and has rallied European support.
In a show of solidarity, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Greenland in June and was greeted by hundreds of locals. This stood in stark contrast to the reception received by US Vice President JD Vance in March, whose visit was met with protests that forced him to visit a remote US airbase and scrap plans for his wife to attend a dogsled race.
Danish Intelligence Agency’s Concerns
Denmark’s national security and intelligence service, PET, stated that it believes “Greenland, especially in the current situation, is a target for influence campaigns of various kinds.”
The statement added that this could be done “by exploiting existing or invented disagreements, for example, in connection with known single issues or by promoting or reinforcing certain views in Greenland regarding the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States or other countries with a special interest in Greenland.”
Denmark’s Government Stance
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had previously called for increased Arctic defense collaboration with the US but has firmly dismissed Washington’s desire to annex the territory.
In April, Frederiksen stated, “If you want to be more present in Greenland, Greenland and Denmark are ready, and if you would like to strengthen the security in the Arctic just like us, then let us do it together.”
