‘We are not some piece of ice’: Greenland PM responds to Trump’s comments

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called on NATO allies to stand together to defend international law on Thursday as he hit back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest comments about the Arctic island.

In a post on social media earlier this week, Trump criticized NATO’s unwillingness to get involved in the war on Iran, saying that the military alliance was not around when the U.S. “needed them.”

“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!! President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.

Nielsen rejected Trump’s comments that Greenland is a “poorly run, piece of ice.”

“We are not some piece of ice. We are a proud ⁠population of 57,000 people, working every single day as good global citizens in full respect for all our allies,” ​he told Reuters.

He went on to emphasize the importance of maintaining the post-war geopolitical order, including the NATO defence alliance and globally respected ​international law.

“Those things are being challenged now, and I think all allies should stand together to try to maintain them. I hope that will happen,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Nielsen has responded to Trump’s comments about Greenland.

Greenland’s leader said “enough is enough” after Trump renewed his threats to take over the territory in January.

“Threats, pressure, and talk of annexation do not belong anywhere between friends,” Nielsen said on Facebook on Jan. 4. “That’s not how you talk to people who have repeatedly shown responsibility, stability and loyalty.

“Enough is enough. No more pressure. No more hints. No more fantasies about annexation.”

Nielsen said Greenland is “open for dialogue” and “open to conversations.”

He also addressed a photo that Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted on X of the territory covered with the American flag, writing, “SOON.”

“First and foremost, let me say calmly and clearly, that there is neither reason for panic nor for insecurity,” Nielsen wrote.

“The photo shared by Katie Miller of Greenland being produced wrapped in an American flag doesn’t change anything. Our country is not for sale and our future is not determined by social media posts,” he wrote.

“But the picture is disrespectful. The relations between countries and people are based on respect and on international law and not on symbolic markings that ignore our status and our rights.

“There’s no need to panic. But there’s good reason to speak up against the lack of respect.”

Trump has repeatedly called for U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland, and has pointedly not ruled out military force to take control of the mineral-rich, strategically located Arctic island that belongs to an ally.

Trump said in January that anything less than the Arctic island being in U.S. hands would be “unacceptable.”

During an unrelated event at the White House about rural health care, he recounted how he had threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

“I may do that for Greenland too,” Trump said. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security. So I may do that.”

European leaders have insisted that it is only for Denmark and Greenland to decide on matters concerning the territory, and Denmark said it was increasing its military presence in Greenland in co-operation with allies.

In December 2025, Trump said the U.S. is not interested in Greenland for its mineral wealth.

“We have so many sites for minerals and oil and everything. We have more oil than any other country in the world,” Trump said. “We’ll have to work it all out.”

Trump initially voiced his interest in Greenland in 2019 during his first term in office. He said Greenland was “hurting Denmark very badly” and costing it US$700 million a year. His solution was to have the United States acquire Greenland, calling it “a large real estate deal.”

— With files from Reuters and The Associated Press