Retiring Prime Minister Mute Egede says Greenland’s “disrespect” must stop as the US president says he wants the Arctic Island again.
Greenland’s resignation Prime Minister Mute Egede has called for a stronger rejection by local politicians of US President Donald Trump’s promises, warning that it is “sufficient.”
“This time, Trump’s rejection needs to be strengthened. After Trump repeated his desire to annexate his independent Danish territory on Thursday, Eged wrote on Facebook.
“The US President has once again evoked the idea of annexing us. I will never be able to accept it,” he wrote.
“Therefore, I asked the government to summon the party leader as soon as possible,” Egend said.
Speaking earlier in the White House alongside NATO Executive Director Mark Latte, Trump doubled his hopes for Greenland, an island of 57,000.
“You know, Mark, we need it for security as well as international security — internationally — we have many of our favorite players going around the coast, and we need to be careful,” Trump told Latte while sitting side by side in the White House oval office.
Latte replied, saying that he would leave Greenland’s future issues to others, adding, “I don’t want to drag NATO.” The NATO chief said that it should be a topic for a “north-high” country as Chinese and Russians use Arctic waterways.
But Trump said Denmark has refused to discuss Greenland’s topic and may send more US troops to strengthen US military bases on the island.
In his first stint as US president from 2017 to 2021, Trump raised the idea of purchasing Greenland (a semi-autonomous Danish territory).
“We’ve been dealing with Denmark, we’ve been dealing with Greenland, and we’ve got to do that,” Trump continued.
“We really need that for national security. I think it’s why NATO really needs Greenland for national security, so maybe it’s why NATO has to get involved in the way. That’s very important,” Trump said.
Trump then began to undermine his claims against the Danish island. “You know, Denmark is very far and really has nothing to do. What happens, did the boat land there 200 years ago? And they say they have the right to it. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I don’t think it is,” he said.
Latte declined to comment on the issue when asked by a White House reporter. NATO in Washington and the Danish embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Danish politician Rasmus Dallov has taken social media after Trump met with Latte, saying Denmark “doesn’t thank him” the NATO leader who “jokes with Trump about Greenland like this.”
“That would mean a war between the two NATO countries,” Jallov said.
“Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and doesn’t want to be an American before,” he said.
I’m not grateful to SECR. Such a NATO general is making jokes with Trump about Greenland. It means a war between the two NATO countries. Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and doesn’t want to be an American. pic.twitter.com/eh7enehoa8
– Rasmus Jarlov (@rasmusjarlov) March 13, 2025
Since taking office, Trump has been making a big stir over the annexation of Greenland, and his comments on Thursday suggest that NATO might want to be involved in an attempt to take over the territory.
Greenland’s strategic location and abundant mineral resources could benefit the United States. Located along the shortest route from Europe to North America, it is essential for the US ballistic missile warning system.
Polls show that most Greenlanders support independence from Denmark and refuse to annexate by the US.
