President Donald Trump renewed his demand that the United States should control Greenland on Tuesday at the NATO summit in Ankara, threatening to withdraw American troops from Europe if the alliance doesn’t accept his position on the Arctic island territory.
Shortly after arriving in Turkey for the summit, Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and told reporters that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” He argued that Denmark doesn’t spend enough money to help Greenland and that the territory’s location makes it strategically vital for American security.
“It’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships, and that’s not going to happen,” Trump said, repeating claims about foreign military threats to the island that experts have disputed. “We could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe,” he added, linking the Greenland issue directly to his frustration with NATO allies.
Trump’s comments came as the 32-member alliance gathered for its annual summit on July 7-8 in Ankara. The broader summit agenda focuses on defense spending, with NATO allies under pressure to increase their commitments toward the 5 percent of GDP target that Trump has championed. NATO members announced billions in new arms deals earlier Tuesday to demonstrate their commitment to ramping up defense production.
The Greenland dispute has strained U.S. relations with Denmark, a founding NATO member, since January when Trump first demanded control of the self-governing Danish territory on national security grounds. In late January, Trump announced that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had formed a “framework of a future deal” regarding Greenland, shifting the issue to a diplomatic track.
A working group consisting of representatives from the United States, Denmark, and Greenland has been meeting regularly since then to discuss a path forward. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen reportedly said late last month that he expects the working group to find a solution by the end of the year. The group’s work has largely remained out of public view.
At the summit, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded directly to Trump’s remarks, saying she expected allies to respect the sovereignty of the Danish kingdom and that Greenland was not for sale. “It is a well-known position of the United States that it wants to own and take over Greenland. I hope that it is equally well-known everywhere that this is not going to happen,” she said in Ankara.
Greenland’s Foreign Minister Mute Egede echoed that position on Facebook, stating that Greenland’s future should be decided by its people. “That’s how it has always been. And that’s how it always will be,” he said, adding that Greenland should continue close cooperation with its allies.
Trump said the Greenland issue had damaged his relationship with NATO. “Because Greenland doesn’t help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States, and it’s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships,” he told reporters during his meeting with Erdogan. He also criticized Europe more broadly, warning that the continent should be “careful” about immigration and energy policy.
Sources
- CNBC — Trump’s threat to remove troops from Europe, his arguments about Greenland’s strategic importance, and details about the working group and Denmark’s expectations for a resolution
- Reuters — Trump’s statement that Greenland should be controlled by the U.S., not Denmark, and responses from Danish PM Frederiksen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Egede
- The Guardian — Trump’s renewed Greenland demand at the NATO summit and his suggestion about withdrawing U.S. commitment to Europe
- AP News — NATO’s announcement of billions in arms deals and Trump’s Greenland demands at the summit
