Trump: Greenland Security ‘Added One More Dog Sled’

President Trump has once again asserted that the United States “needs” Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, while criticizing Denmark’s defense capabilities on the island.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump was asked about potential US actions regarding Greenland following his administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Saturday. Trump initially tried to deflect the topic, saying the US would “worry about Greenland” later, according to Mediaite. He nevertheless returned to the subject, emphasizing Greenland’s “strategic” importance and saying the United States “needs” the territory.

Trump described Greenland as critical to US national security, claiming it is now “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” and argued that Denmark is not equipped to adequately defend it. He also mocked Denmark’s security efforts, saying the country had “added one more dog sled” and “thought that was a great move.” In previous interviews, Trump has made similar remarks and suggested that the US could consider acquiring Greenland.

Denmark, a NATO ally, pushed back over the weekend. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Trump’s threats “nonsensical” and emphasized that the US has “no legal basis to annex” Greenland. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen also rejected Trump’s proposals, calling for an end to his “fantasies of annexation,” according to the BBC. The comments came after Denmark’s ambassador to Washington criticized a White House aide, Katie Miller—wife of senior adviser Stephen Miller—for posting an image of Greenland overlaid with an American flag captioned “SOON.” Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen stated that Greenland expects full respect for the kingdom’s territorial integrity.

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