Denmark defended its authority over Greenland on Sunday after President Trump and the wife of a Trump adviser renewed calls for the U.S. to annex the territory.
On Saturday, Katie Miller, wife of President Trump's deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted a picture of the American flag covering Greenland on X. She captioned the photo with the word "SOON."
Then on Sunday, Trump said in an interview with The Atlantic that Greenland could be subject to future U.S. intervention.
"We do need Greenland, absolutely," Trump said. "We need it for defense."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement Sunday that the U.S. has "no right to annex" territories of Denmark and has told the U.S. to "stop the threats" about taking over Greenland.
Jesper Møller Sørensen, Denmark's ambassador to the U.S., responded to Miller's post, saying "we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark."
"Just a friendly reminder about the U.S. and the Kingdom of Denmark: We are close allies and should continue to work together as such," he said.
Greenland has been under Danish control since the early 18th century but was granted home rule in 1979.
Miller's post on Saturday came hours after the U.S. military conducted airstrikes in Venezuela's capital and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Trump said at a press conference that the U.S. will "run" Venezuela until there is a transition of leadership.
Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in annexing Greenland from Denmark for its strategic location in the Arctic. He appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as his special envoy to Greenland last month, which sparked diplomatic concerns in Europe.
Copyright 2026 NPR