The United States strikes in Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Nicolás Maduro have reignited anxieties in Europe over whether Trump could set his sights on Greenland next.
Within hours of the operation in South America, prominent figures linked to Trump’s MAGA movement began openly speculating online about the mineral-rich Danish territory, alarming officials in Copenhagen and Nuuk.
The controversy was sparked by a post on X from rightwing podcaster Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy. Miller shared an image of Greenland draped in the American flag with the caption “SOON.”
The message quickly went viral, amplifying long-standing concerns about Trump’s repeated expressions of interest in acquiring the Arctic territory. Trump himself told The Atlantic on Sunday: “We do need Greenland, absolutely.”
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, responded sharply, urging Trump to stop threatening annexation. “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland,” she said. “The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.”
Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also condemned the post as “disrespectful,” while stressing there was “neither reason for panic nor for concern,” adding: “Our country is not for sale, and our future is not decided by social media posts.”
In a more measured response, Denmark’s ambassador to Washington, Jesper Møller Sørensen, reposted Miller’s image alongside what he called a “friendly reminder” of the two countries’ close defence ties. Emphasizing NATO cooperation in the Arctic, he noted Denmark’s increased defence spending and said Copenhagen expects “full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”