Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said his country won\u2019t bow to\u00a0US President\u00a0<\/span>Donald Trump\u2019s demand to hand over Greenland and has summoned the US ambassador to explain his president\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n Lokke held talks with Ambassador Ken Howery in Copenhagen on Monday after Trump announced plans to appoint Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland \u2013 an autonomous territory under the Kingdom of Denmark \u2013 with the aim of making it part of the US.<\/p>\n Read: The meeting served \u201cto say \u2018no\u2019 and draw a clear red line, but of course also simply to ask for an explanation\u201d, Lokke said in an interview with local broadcaster TV2 late Monday. \u201cAn attack on one part of the kingdom is an attack on the entire kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump raised the idea of buying Greenland during his first term in 2019, but has intensified his push to gain control of the world\u2019s biggest island since returning to power in January.<\/p>\n In a\u00a0press briefing\u00a0late Monday, he said that he doesn\u2019t want Greenland for energy or mineral reserves, but because Denmark has not devoted enough spending to protect the island.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cWe have to have it,\u201d Trump said. \u201cThey have a very small population, and I don\u2019t know \u2013 they say Denmark, but Denmark has spent no money. They have no military protection.\u201d<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The claim on Greenland isn\u2019t the only problem that the Trump administration is posing for Denmark.<\/p>\n Just hours after Trump\u2019s appointment of Landry, the US Interior Department suspended leases for all five wind farms under construction off the East Coast, intensifying pressure on Danish developer Orsted A\/S. The company, which is 50.1% owned by the Danish state, is a co-developer of Revolution Wind \u2013 one of the affected projects \u2013 and now faces the risk of severe losses if the project stalls.<\/p>\n Read: In his interview with TV2, Lokke emphasised that Greenland is protected by the US\u2019s commitments to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and the Danish government is pushing allies to pay greater attention to the Arctic region.<\/p>\n Denmark and the US are already bound by a 1951 defence agreement that allows Washington to operate military facilities on Greenland.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT:<\/p>\n CONTINUE READING BELOW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n The territory hosts the US-run Pituffik Space Base in north-western Greenland, which monitors space activity and provides missile warnings. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has signaled she\u2019s open to a broader American security presence.<\/p>\n But Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen both pushed back on Trump\u2019s demand, with the latter stressing that the special envoy doesn\u2019t change his view.<\/p>\n \u201cGreenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and its territorial integrity must be respected,\u201d Nielsen wrote in a\u00a0Facebook post.<\/p>\n Following the recent escalation, European leaders have showed Denmark and Greenland they are not standing alone.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n One of the most outspoken allies, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Nuuk earlier in the year and reaffirmed in post on X \u201cFrance\u2019s unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland\u201d.<\/p>\n Follow Moneyweb\u2019s in-depth finance and business news on WhatsApp here.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Greenland eyes benefits in Trump\u2019s proposed land grab
Greenland\u2019s new prime minister says Trump won\u2019t get island<\/p>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneyweb.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/442488762-555x654.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Greenland ruling party seeks independence vote by 2029
Greenland miner eyes US, EU deals after Trump boosted interest
Greenland premier seeks joint rejection of latest Trump advance<\/p>\n\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneyweb.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-23-at-17.29.59-555x501.png\")
<\/p>\n