Greenland: Home rule, new international relations and US interest

How is Greenland governed?

Greenland is the world’s largest island, with most of its territory in the Arctic Circle. It has around 57,000 inhabitants. Located in the North American continent, it has been Danish territory for centuries and part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1953. It gained home rule in 1979, becoming self-governing in its internal affairs, while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It also then left the then European Community in 1983.

A new self-government act was adopted in 2009, granting Greenland further autonomy. Denmark retains responsibility for Greenland’s foreign affairs and defence policy, and the Danish krone remains Greenland’s currency. Greenland receives an annual subsidy from Denmark, which will be reduced if revenues from Greenland’s mineral resources exceed a certain level.

The act also sets out a process for Greenland to gain independence, requiring consent from Greenland’s parliament (the Inatsisartut) and its people in a referendum, with independence terms to be negotiated with Denmark.

Greenland’s path to independence

In April 2023, a constitutional commission comprising members of parties represented in the Greenland’s parliament presented a draft constitution for a post-independence Greenland, but there were no immediate plans to adopt it. In late September 2024, the government established a commission to draw up proposals for how to move forward with independence.

In January 2025, Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister, Múte Egede, said it was time to take the next step towards independence. An opinion poll in the same month indicated that 56% of Greenlanders were in favour of independence, but that 45% were opposed if it meant a deterioration in their living standards.

Defence of Greenland and external relations

Greenland is an Overseas Country and Territory (OCT) of the EU, with an enhanced political, economic and trading relationship with the EU.

Greenland has sought greater autonomy in its foreign affairs. In 2021, a contact group for foreign, security, and defence policy was established by Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands (Denmark’s other autonomous territory). Both territories have also been given an enhanced role in Danish delegations to regional bodies including the Arctic Council and the Nordic Council.

The USA has had a military presence in Greenland since the Second World War. The 1951 US–Denmark “Defense of Greenland agreement”, following on from the newly formed NATO alliance (of which both the US and Denmark were founding members) allowed the US to establish US military bases on the island.

The US–Denmark Greenland defence agreement has since been updated. The agreement enabled the establishment of the Thule Air Base, now known as the Pituffik Space Base, which supports missile warning and defence.

Greenland remains a member of NATO, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

US interest in acquiring Greenland

There has been longstanding US interest in acquiring Greenland, going back to the 19th century. The idea was raised again by Donald Trump in 2019 during his first term as US President. In August 2019, President Trump cancelled a planned visit to Denmark when the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, said Greenland was “not for sale”. President Trump declared a new and more assertive interest in the USA acquiring control of Greenland following his re-election for a second term at the end of 2024.

President Trump has stressed the importance of the USA acquiring Greenland for national security reasons, citing the growing presence of Russia and China in the Arctic region. In January 2025, he said that the USA “would tariff Denmark at a very high level” if it blocked the US from taking over Greenland, and said he could not rule out the use of military force.

Greenland’s leaders have emphasised that Greenland is “not for sale” and stressed their own moves to independence, while being open to cooperation with the USA. In an opinion poll of Greenlanders published at the end of January 2025, 85% of those polled did not wish to become part of the USA.

The leaders of the five parties in Greenland’s parliament issued a joint statement following the general election in March 2025 describing the repeated US statements about annexation and control of Greenland as “unacceptable to friends and allies in a defense alliance”. After President Trump repeated comments that the USA would “get Greenland”, Greenland’s new Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said on 30 March that the USA would “not get it” and Greenland would “decide our own future”.

Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, similarly stressed the importance of the USA as Denmark’s “closest ally” and willingness to cooperate on Arctic security while emphasising that Greenland is not for sale.

In March 2025, a US delegation including Vice President JD Vance visited the US base in Greenland. During the visit, the Vice President said that Denmark had “not done a good job” for Greenland, and that Denmark had not done enough to counter aggressive incursions from Russia and China in the region.

President Trump announces tariffs on European states

In late 2025 and early 2026, the Trump administration made further comments on US ambitions to acquire Greenland and Denmark’s inability to protect it. Greenland’s Prime Minister Nielsen accused the US of “completely and utterly unacceptable” rhetoric and Denmark’s Prime Minister Frederiksen called on the US to stop “threatening its historical ally”. The UK joined Denmark and five larger EU states in issuing a joint statement emphasising that Greenland’s future was a matter for Greenland and Denmark. Nordic countries and Canada issued similar statements.

On 17 January, President Trump said the US would be levying additional tariffs on eight European countries (including the UK) until a deal on US purchase of Greenland had been reached. The eight countries had taken part in a Danish-led military reconnaissance exercise in Greenland, beginning on 15 January.

The threatened tariffs were met with strong criticism from European leaders. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the threat of tariffs was “completely wrong” and Denmark’s Prime Minister Frederiksen said “Europe will not be blackmailed”. France’s President Macron said the EU “should not be hesitant” about using its anti-coercion instrument, involving retaliatory tariffs.

Following a meeting with the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on 21 January, President Trump said that a deal had been reached on Greenland, and that on the basis of the deal the extra tariffs would not go into effect. The Prime Ministers of Greenland and Denmark welcomed further discussions and continued to stress the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

For a more detailed account of US interest since 2025, see President Trump and Greenland: Frequently asked questions.