In a sharp escalation of transatlantic tensions, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly rebuked U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, throwing his full weight behind Denmark’s leadership. The controversy erupted after Trump, fresh from actions against Venezuela, declared in an interview that Greenland is essential for American defense amid rising Russian and Chinese naval threats in the Arctic.
Starmer, speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, emphasized the unbreakable bonds between the UK and Denmark. ‘Denmark is a close European ally, a close NATO ally. And therefore, the future of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, should be just that – Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark’s,’ he stated firmly. He added, ‘I’m with them. They’re right about the future of Greenland.’
This comes as Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a stark warning in a DR interview, urging the world to take Trump’s words seriously. ‘Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected any idea of Greenland becoming part of America,’ she said, stressing Europe’s united stance on respecting borders. Frederiksen cautioned that any NATO member using force against another would halt everything.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper echoed these sentiments in the House of Commons, affirming, ‘The UK will continue working with Denmark on security matters. The future of Greenland is a matter for Greenlanders and Danes, no one else.’
Trump’s comments, made to The Atlantic on Sunday, revive a 2019 saga where he floated buying the autonomous Danish territory. With Arctic geopolitics heating up, European leaders are rallying around Denmark, signaling a potential rift in NATO unity. As climate change opens new shipping routes and resources, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Starmer’s intervention underscores Britain’s commitment to multilateralism in an era of assertive U.S. foreign policy.
