Trump Says World Not Secure Until US Has Greenland

US President Donald Trump has declared that the world will not be secure until the United States exercises “complete and total control” over Greenland, escalating tensions with European allies and putting renewed strain on the transatlantic alliance.

In comments published Monday, Trump said he no longer feels obligated to think “purely of peace,” linking his stance to his failure to receive the Nobel Peace Prize-an award he has openly coveted. While insisting that peace would remain “predominant,” he said he must now focus on what is “good and proper for the United States of America.”

Trump has repeatedly threatened to take Greenland “one way or the other,” arguing that the vast, mineral-rich island is essential for US national security. The territory already hosts a US military base and falls under security arrangements with NATO through Denmark, but Trump insists these measures are insufficient.

His remarks prompted swift backlash from European leaders. Germany and France condemned Trump’s threat to impose new tariffs on countries opposing US control of Greenland, branding the move as “blackmail.” The European Union announced an emergency summit on Thursday to assess its response, warning that while Europe prefers engagement over escalation, it is prepared to take countermeasures if necessary.

Greenland’s leadership firmly rejected the pressure. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the autonomous territory would not be coerced into surrendering its sovereignty. “We will not be pressured,” he wrote on Facebook, stressing that Greenland is a democratic society with the right to decide its own future.

Trump’s comments were also conveyed in a message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, sent in response to a joint note from Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb opposing US tariff threats. Støre confirmed the message’s authenticity and reiterated that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded independently by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, not by the government.

Denmark, meanwhile, rejected claims that it cannot safeguard Greenland. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said Copenhagen, alongside NATO allies, has already increased military presence and training in the Arctic and North Atlantic. He added that discussions with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte were under way.

Trump has warned that from February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland could face a 10% tariff on goods sent to the US-potentially rising further if opposition continues. European officials have signaled that retaliatory trade measures are being prepared, raising concerns about a possible trade war.

With Greenland’s population of just 57,000 increasingly uneasy about US pressure, the crisis has become a flashpoint for broader questions about sovereignty, alliance solidarity and the future balance of power in the Arctic.