Greenland cautions citizens of possible US attack

(MENAFN) Greenland’s leadership has warned that the Arctic island must be ready for the possibility of a US attack, responding to renewed territorial claims voiced by President Donald Trump.

Speaking to journalists in the capital, Nuuk, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the government is planning to establish a special task force aimed at helping residents cope with potential disruptions to everyday life. While he stressed that open hostilities remain unlikely, he cautioned that they cannot be entirely dismissed, stating it is “not likely there will be a military conflict, but it can’t be ruled out.”

Finance Minister Mute Bourup Egede echoed those concerns, saying the territory is under “a lot of pressure” and emphasizing that “we need to be ready for all scenarios.” According to officials, authorities are drafting updated guidance for Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents, including advice to store enough food supplies to last five days.

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in bringing Greenland under US control, framing the issue around national security and the need to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic. He has previously suggested purchasing the island from Denmark and has declined to categorically rule out the use of force, remarking that the matter could be settled “the hard way.”

Last week, Trump said Washington would introduce new tariffs against European countries opposing his plan if no agreement is reached. Those potentially affected include Denmark, the UK, France, and Germany.

In response to the heightened rhetoric, Denmark deployed additional troops to Greenland on Monday as part of the multinational Arctic Endurance exercise, which was initiated following Trump’s statements.

Leaders in both Denmark and Greenland have rejected claims of an immediate threat from Russia or China, while signaling openness to cooperation with Washington on security-related matters. As one senior Danish official put it, “If they have mining projects that they want to do or if they need another military base [in Greenland], the door is wide open for discussions. But handing over sovereignty and 50,000 citizens of Denmark who definitely don’t want to be Americans – we just can’t do that.”

European officials have also cautioned that any US military action against a fellow NATO member would effectively dismantle the alliance.

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