On March 29, US President Donald Trump said that he had seriously discussed annexing Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. In an interview with NBC, he said: “We will get Greenland, 100 percent. Maybe even without force. But I’m not ruling anything out.”

These words came the day after Vice President J.D. Vance visited the island and met with US military personnel at the US Space Force base in Pituffik. Vance accused Denmark of poor governance and emphasized the strategic importance of the region.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen sharply condemned the US rhetoric, calling it unacceptable in relations with allies. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded on social media: “The US will not get Greenland. We decide our own destiny.”

The US interest in the island is due to its strategic location and rich reserves of rare earth and other natural resources.

Despite the criticism, Trump continues to insist that America needs Greenland to strengthen international security and protect against the influence of Russia and China.