Greenland's Prime Minister Draws Firm Line: 'US Will Not Get Island'

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen made it crystal clear this weekend: the United States will not be annexing the resource-rich Arctic island under any circumstances. In a fiery Facebook post, Nielsen addressed recent statements by former President Donald Trump, who suggested that acquiring Greenland was key for U.S. national security. "Let me be clear: The United States will not get it. We do not belong to anyone else. We decide our own future," Nielsen declared, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Trump's interest in Greenland isn't exactly new. The self-governing Danish territory has been on his radar since his first administration, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Arctic heat up with increasing Russian and Chinese activity in the region. Even so, Greenlanders appear downright unimpressed, with polls showing overwhelming opposition to any U.S. acquisition. Locals have even staged protests featuring "Make America Go Away" caps and banners that read "Yankees Go Home." Honestly, that's got to sting a bit.

Last Friday, a high-profile U.S. delegation visited Pituffik Space Base, the Department of Defense's northernmost military installation in Greenland. The group included Vice President JD Vance, second lady Usha Vance, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Utah Senator Mike Lee. Their visit underscored the strategic importance of Greenland for the U.S., but it seems the island's leadership remains unmoved.

In a Saturday interview with NBC, Trump didn't rule out using military force to acquire Greenland, although he suggested it might not come to that. "I think there’s a good possibility that we could do it without military force," he said, framing the situation as a matter of global peace and international security. But then he added, "I don’t take anything off the table," because, well, why not keep things spicy?

Greenland, for its part, has expressed a desire to eventually gain independence from Denmark, but being absorbed into the United States is not on their wishlist. The territory's stance remains firm, even as U.S. officials continue to float the idea of acquisition.

Trump's Arctic ambitions may be aimed at countering U.S. adversaries in the region, but it's clear Greenlanders are not buying it. The protests, the polling, and Nielsen's blunt remarks all reflect a population that values its autonomy over any promises of American partnership.