https://sg.news.yahoo.com/greenlands-political-parties-unite-reject-120215779.html
Sun, 11 January 2026 at 1:53 am SGT
3 min read
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President Donald Trump issued another stark warning to Greenland, saying the US will intervene and take control of the island either "the nice way" or the "more difficult way", as ITV News' Europe Editor James Mates reports
Greenland’s party leaders have rejected President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the US to take control of the island, saying that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.
“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four party leaders said in a statement Friday night.
Trump said again on Friday that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region that’s part of the Kingdom of Denmark, “the easy way.” He said that if the US doesn’t own it, then Russia or China will take it over, and the US does not want them as neighbours.
“If we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” Trump said, without explaining what that entailed.
The White House said it is considering a range of options, including using military force, to acquire the island.
'Trump is crazy': Greelanders react to US designs on the territory
Why does Trump have his eye on Greenland?
Greenland's party leaders reiterated that “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
“As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasise once again our wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends,” the statement said.
Officials from Denmark, Greenland and the United States met Thursday in Washington and will meet again next week to discuss the renewed push by the White House for control of the island.
Greenlanders have long favoured independence from Denmark, but they have been divided on the best approach to separation due to how reliant the island is on money from Copenhagen.
Currently, Denmark heavily subsidises the Greenland economy, with subsidies making up around two-thirds of Greenland's annual budget.
Denmark has said that if Greenland became independent, these subsidies would end.
Mette Frederiksen has said an attack on Greenland would end Nato. Credit: PA
Polls show as much as 85% of the population of the island favour independence, and they almost all reject the idea of joining the United States.
A poll in 2025 by Greenlandic and Danish media found 85% of respondents would rather remain part of Denmark than join the US, with just 6% saying they supported the idea.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a forceful American takeover of Greenland would mark the end of Nato.
The party leaders' statement said that “the work on Greenland’s future takes place in dialogue with the Greenlandic people and is prepared on the basis of international laws.”
“No other country can interfere in this,” they said. “We must decide the future of our country ourselves, without pressure for quick decision, delay or interference from other countries.”
The statement was signed by Nielsen, and the leaders of the other four major parties in Greenland, including the lead opposition party, Narleraq, which is seen as favouring closer relations with the US.
Its defence is provided by Denmark, and despite Copenhagen heavily investing in the region in recent years in response to American pressure, Trump has repeatedly mocked their military capabilities.
When questioned about Denmark's defence of Greenland recently, Trump said: "Do you know what Denmark did recently to boost up security? They added one more dog sled."
European leaders, including Keir Starmer, have repeatedly pushed back against Trump's demands, saying Greenland's future was up to Greenlanders to decide.
Starmer discussed the issue with Trump on Wednesday, saying he "set out his position" on the Arctic island during a phone call with the president.
Greenland's political parties unite to reject Trump's demand for US control
ITV NewsSun, 11 January 2026 at 1:53 am SGT
3 min read
Add Yahoo on Google
President Donald Trump issued another stark warning to Greenland, saying the US will intervene and take control of the island either "the nice way" or the "more difficult way", as ITV News' Europe Editor James Mates reports
Greenland’s party leaders have rejected President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for the US to take control of the island, saying that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people.
“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four party leaders said in a statement Friday night.
Trump said again on Friday that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region that’s part of the Kingdom of Denmark, “the easy way.” He said that if the US doesn’t own it, then Russia or China will take it over, and the US does not want them as neighbours.
“If we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” Trump said, without explaining what that entailed.
The White House said it is considering a range of options, including using military force, to acquire the island.
'Trump is crazy': Greelanders react to US designs on the territory
Why does Trump have his eye on Greenland?
Greenland's party leaders reiterated that “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
“As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasise once again our wish that the United States’ contempt for our country ends,” the statement said.
Officials from Denmark, Greenland and the United States met Thursday in Washington and will meet again next week to discuss the renewed push by the White House for control of the island.
Greenlanders have long favoured independence from Denmark, but they have been divided on the best approach to separation due to how reliant the island is on money from Copenhagen.
Currently, Denmark heavily subsidises the Greenland economy, with subsidies making up around two-thirds of Greenland's annual budget.
Denmark has said that if Greenland became independent, these subsidies would end.
Mette Frederiksen has said an attack on Greenland would end Nato. Credit: PA
Polls show as much as 85% of the population of the island favour independence, and they almost all reject the idea of joining the United States.
A poll in 2025 by Greenlandic and Danish media found 85% of respondents would rather remain part of Denmark than join the US, with just 6% saying they supported the idea.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a forceful American takeover of Greenland would mark the end of Nato.
The party leaders' statement said that “the work on Greenland’s future takes place in dialogue with the Greenlandic people and is prepared on the basis of international laws.”
“No other country can interfere in this,” they said. “We must decide the future of our country ourselves, without pressure for quick decision, delay or interference from other countries.”
The statement was signed by Nielsen, and the leaders of the other four major parties in Greenland, including the lead opposition party, Narleraq, which is seen as favouring closer relations with the US.
Its defence is provided by Denmark, and despite Copenhagen heavily investing in the region in recent years in response to American pressure, Trump has repeatedly mocked their military capabilities.
When questioned about Denmark's defence of Greenland recently, Trump said: "Do you know what Denmark did recently to boost up security? They added one more dog sled."
European leaders, including Keir Starmer, have repeatedly pushed back against Trump's demands, saying Greenland's future was up to Greenlanders to decide.
Starmer discussed the issue with Trump on Wednesday, saying he "set out his position" on the Arctic island during a phone call with the president.
