US will have Greenland ‘one way or the other’, says Trump – Europe live

Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Europe by declaring that the United States will “have” Greenland “one way or the other,” turning a revived territorial ambition into a full‑blown diplomatic clash with Denmark and the European Union.​

Trump’s Greenland ultimatum

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One and in subsequent social media posts, Trump repeated his desire to acquire Greenland, a self‑governing Arctic territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. He said he would prefer to “make a deal” but warned that, “one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland,” framing U.S. control as essential to national security and Arctic defense.​​

Trump has argued that if Washington does not take Greenland, Russia or China will, portraying the island as a strategic shield for North America and a key site for his administration’s missile‑defense ambitions. European media live blogs have reported his claim that “world peace is at stake” over Greenland, a statement that has stunned many diplomats.​

European and Greenlandic backlash

Denmark and Greenland have reacted with alarm and, at times, outright anger to the renewed U.S. push. Danish leaders have warned that any forced transfer of Greenland would be unacceptable and could even spell “the end of NATO,” given the shock it would deliver to trust within the alliance.​

Greenland’s political parties have issued rare unified statements insisting that the island is “not for sale” and that its future must be decided solely by the people of Greenland. Greenland’s foreign affairs minister has stressed that closer cooperation with the United States and NATO does not mean accepting U.S. ownership, drawing a clear line against annexation.​

Tariffs and pressure on Europe

Trump has paired his rhetoric with economic threats, announcing new tariffs on several European countries he accuses of obstructing a U.S.–Greenland deal. Under his plan, a 10% tariff on a wide range of goods from Denmark, Sweden, France, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland would rise to 25% if no agreement over Greenland is reached by June 1.​

The tariff threat has triggered protests in Denmark and Greenland, where thousands have marched in Nuuk and other cities to condemn what they see as economic coercion aimed at forcing a territorial change. European governments are now weighing both legal and diplomatic responses, even as NATO officials try to downplay talk of a crisis inside the alliance.​​

Strategic stakes in the Arctic

Greenland’s importance lies in its location between North America and Europe, its role in Arctic shipping lanes, and its potential mineral and energy resources. The U.S. already operates the Thule Air Base there and has maintained a military presence since World War II, but Trump argues that permanent U.S. sovereignty is necessary to block Russian and Chinese ambitions in the high north.​

Analysts note that any attempt to “take” Greenland against the wishes of Denmark and Greenlanders would violate international law and almost certainly fracture relationships with key NATO allies. For now, European live coverage of the dispute portrays a widening rift: Trump insists the U.S. will have Greenland “one way or the other,” while Europe and Greenland reply just as firmly that the island’s future is not Washington’s to decide.

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