'It's A Big Problem': Trump's Warning After Greenland "Chooses" Denmark

Amid US President Donald Trump's persistent annexation threats, Greenland categorically ruled out joining the United States, saying the Arctic territory prefers to be in a union with Denmark. Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that given a choice between the United States and Denmark, the island would choose to be part of the European nation, suggesting that the island is putting its independence plans on the back burner for now. 

"We are now facing a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, then we choose Denmark. We choose the Greenland we know today, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark," Nielsen said at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen.

Greenland PM's remarks come ahead of a high-stakes meeting of Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Wednesday. The stated aim for the talks is to help defuse the administration's renewed threats toward Greenland and begin repairing strained ties over the strategically important island.

The situation is "very serious," Nielsen said, calling the current threats from the Trump administration to annex the island completely out of line.

Trump's Threats

Donald Trump is demanding to take control of Greenland, either through economic means or military force. The US leader responded bluntly when asked about Nielsen's comments and warned that it could create "a big problem" for the latter.

"That's their problem. I disagree with them. I don't know who he is. Don't know anything about him, but that's going to be a big problem for him," Trump said.

Greenland's Independence Plans

While the Arctic island of 57,000 people has long debated its independence from Denmark, opinion polls have shown Greenlanders are overwhelmingly against the idea of joining the US. That concern was reflected in elections in March last year, when three out of four Greenlandic voters backed parties favouring only a slow move toward independence, according to a Bloomberg report.

When Nielsen was asked if Greenland is abandoning the independence talks, he said, "Right now is the time to stand together. Greenland stands within the Kingdom of Denmark and stands fully united in protecting the fundamental principles."

The two countries aren't alone in seeking to contain the Trump administration's ambitions. A group of European countries, led by the UK and Germany, is discussing plans for a military presence in Greenland to show Trump that the continent is serious about Arctic security. 

After a meeting with Rubio Monday night, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he is optimistic that Europe can reach a "compromise" with the US over Greenland.

"Security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic can only be achieved multilaterally and jointly," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday. "Open questions will be cleared up amicably together according to international law and with joint responsibility for security in the North Atlantic."