Trump and Mamdani appear friendly after ‘wide-ranging’ meeting at Gracie Mansion

In 2019, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed the idea as "an absurd discussion." Trump later canceled a trip to Denmark, citing Frederiksen's "nasty" statement. In December 2024, Trump renewed his interest, stating that "the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." Greenland's prime minister, Múte Bourup Egede, firmly rejected the notion of sale.

In 2025, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland and threatened to use military force to take control of the territory. Greenlanders elected a new parliament that unanimously rejected Trump's ideas. Four out of five parties in Greenland's parliament later agreed to form a coalition government with Jens-Frederik Nielsen as prime minister. Vice President JD Vance criticized Denmark's lack of investment in Arctic security.

Denmark's foreign minister reprimanded the U.S. for its criticism, and Trump reiterated his stance that military force was always an option. Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen later said Greenland would choose Denmark if faced with a choice between the U.S. and Denmark. European leaders condemned the idea of a U.S. takeover and Denmark announced plans to bolster its military presence in the Arctic. Trump threatened tariffs on European goods and a 10% import tax on selected items, but soon withdrew these proposals.