ANKARA, Turkey, July 7 (Reuters) – During a summit of NATO leaders in Turkey, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted that the United States should control Greenland rather than Denmark.
His claim that the United States must acquire or directly oversee Greenland – a semi‑autonomous Danish territory – sparked friction between Washington and Copenhagen, as well as broader concerns across Europe. The matter has now taken a diplomatic turn.
Speaking to reporters while meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Trump emphasized, “That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.”
He argued that tensions within NATO stem from this issue, contending that Greenland does not receive adequate support from Denmark. “That’s what hurt my relationship with NATO,” he said, adding that Denmark fails to allocate sufficient resources to assist Greenland, despite its strategic importance to the United States. He noted that the island lies near waters frequented by Chinese and Russian naval vessels, a circumstance he described as untenable.
Trump further suggested that extensive U.S. spending on European security obligations has not been reciprocated, stating, “They wouldn’t go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted in June that discussions with both Denmark and Greenland continue on a monthly basis.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; writing by Katharine Jackson; Editing by Doina Chiacu and David Ljunggren)
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