Key points
- Trump tells NATO chief the US needs Greenland
- NATO chief says he doesn’t want to drag NATO into the debate
- Enough is enough: Greenland’s PM
ISLAMABAD: The chairman of Denmark’s Defence Committee Rasmus Jarlov said that Denmark did “not appreciate” the head of NATO “joking with Trump about Greenland like this”.
Rasmus Jarlov took the social media after the Trump meeting with Rutte at White House, saying that “It would mean war between two NATO countries”.
“Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and does not want to be American ever,” he said.
We do not appreciate the Secr. Gen. of NATO joking with Trump about Greenland like this. It would mean war between two NATO countries. Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and does not want to be American ever.pic.twitter.com/eh7enEHoA8
— Rasmus Jarlov (@RasmusJarlov) March 13, 2025
What happened?
Earlier, Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday that US control of Greenland is necessary to enhance international security, escalating his campaign to annex the strategic Arctic island, according to Reuters.
“You know, Mark, we need that for international security, not just security – international – we have a lot of our favourite players cruising around the coast, and we have to be careful,” Trump told Rutte as they sat side-by-side in the White House Oval Office for talks. “We’ll be talking to you,” Reuters reported.
Asked directly about the prospect of annexation, Trump stated: “I think that will happen.”
Rutte told Trump that he would leave the question of Greenland’s future to others and that, “I don’t want to drag NATO” into the debate. He said it should be a topic for countries in the “high north” because the Chinese and Russia are using water routes in the area, according to media reports.
Swift rejection
The recent remarks drew a swift rejection from the outgoing prime minister of Greenland.
“The US president has once again aired the thought of annexing us,” Mute Egede said in a Facebook post. “Enough is enough.”
Since returning to the White House, Trump has made the annexation of Greenland a major talking point.
