US President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that the United States may impose tariffs on countries that do not support his plan regarding Greenland, citing national security concerns. “Because we need Greenland for national security,” he said, highlighting the strategic importance of the Arctic territory amid growing global competition.
The comments come as European countries sent small contingents of military personnel to Greenland at the request of Denmark, which administers the autonomous territory. The deployment is part of a broader effort to maintain security and monitoring in the Arctic region, where Russia and China have been increasingly active.
An 11-member US congressional delegation, led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, visited Copenhagen this week to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, as well as members of the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments. After the meetings, Senator Coons acknowledged the sharp rhetoric surrounding Greenland but sought to emphasize a more measured approach.
“There’s a lot of rhetoric but there’s not a lot of reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Coons told reporters. “Our delegation’s aim is to lower the temperature and provide clarity when we return home.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, echoed these concerns, noting that the discourse about the United States taking over Greenland risks undermining NATO and benefiting the country’s strategic rivals. “I know there are real, deep concerns here in Denmark and in Greenland,” Shaheen said. “These concerns are understandable when trust is shaken. But I believe saner heads will prevail.”
Shaheen, whose father was stationed in Greenland during World War II, underscored bipartisan support for NATO and the US-Danish relationship. “Institutions are already acting. On both sides of the aisle in Congress, there is overwhelming support for NATO and for the US-Danish relationship,” she said.
The delegation in Copenhagen included Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski, alongside Democratic colleagues, reflecting a cross-party effort to engage with Danish and Greenlandic leaders amid heightened tensions. The Greenlandic flag was prominently displayed at the main staircase of the Danish parliament building, Christiansborg, symbolizing the territory’s autonomy and cultural significance.
Demonstrations supporting Greenland were scheduled for Saturday in Copenhagen, other Danish cities, and in the Greenlandic capital, Nuuk, signaling strong local engagement on the issue.
Meanwhile, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on NATO to establish a “co-ordinated presence” in the Arctic to prevent rising tensions and counter interference from other global actors. Despite this, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto clarified that Italian forces would not participate in the European reconnaissance mission currently underway in Greenland.
“Greenland. I wonder what for? A trip?” Crosetto remarked in Rome. “Fifteen Italians, 15 French, 15 Germans — it sounds like the start of a joke,” he added, highlighting skepticism over the mission’s scale. Crosetto emphasized that NATO and the United Nations should remain the primary frameworks for managing international security in the region, rather than unilateral or ad hoc deployments.
The debate over Greenland has intensified discussions about Arctic security, sovereignty, and strategic cooperation among NATO members and allied nations. While the United States views Greenland as a potential hub for national defense, European leaders have called for coordinated multilateral engagement to ensure stability in the Arctic, where climate change and militarization are reshaping the geopolitical landscape.
As both US lawmakers and European leaders navigate this delicate issue, Greenland’s strategic significance continues to highlight the challenges of balancing national security priorities with international diplomacy, alliance cohesion, and the interests of local populations.
