Trump’s annexation threat: Protesters in Denmark and Greenland hold rallies against
COPENHAGAN: Thousands of people took to the streets across Denmark on Saturday to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Demonstrators gathered in major Danish cities including Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg, chanting slogans such as “Greenland is not for sale” and “Hands Off Greenland.” The central rally in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square later marched toward the U.S. Embassy, demanding respect for Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Protests were also held in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, where hundreds marched through the streets waving the territory’s red‑and‑white flag, calling for unity and reaffirming local identity in the face of external pressure.
Organizers of the demonstrations said the protests aimed to send a clear and united message against what they describe as illegal attempts to undermine Greenland’s autonomy. Greenlandic associations in Denmark collaborated with civil society groups like Action Aid Denmark to mobilize supporters and highlight the importance of democracy, human rights, and self-determination.
At the Copenhagen rally, speakers underlined that Greenland is a self-governing territory with its own democratic institutions, and that decisions about its future should be made by Greenlanders themselves, not by external powers.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States needs Greenland for national security reasons, citing its strategic Arctic location and mineral resources. In recent days he even suggested the possibility of imposing tariffs on European countries that oppose his plans — a move that has fueled outrage in both Denmark and Europe.
Trump stated that Greenland is vital to U.S. defense strategy and has hinted that control of the island could be pursued “the easy way or the hard way,” though he did not detail what that might involve.
The protests coincide with a visit by a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers to Copenhagen, aiming to reassure Danish and Greenlandic leaders that most Americans do not back Trump’s annexation rhetoric and to emphasize continued U.S. support for NATO and the sovereignty of allies. Senate and House members made clear that Congress, not the executive branch, has authority over territorial matters, seeking to calm diplomatic tensions.
Despite this, the standoff has deepened mistrust between Washington and its NATO partners and sparked debate within the United States, where many lawmakers have publicly opposed Trump’s approach as reckless and contrary to international law.
Across Denmark and Greenland, political leaders, civil society and ordinary citizens have emphasized unity against external threats to sovereignty. Many protesters carried signs defending not just Greenland’s territorial integrity but also democratic principles and respect for international norms.
In Greenland’s parliament, all parties favour independence in the long term, but prefer maintaining ties with Denmark over being transferred to U.S. control -a stance echoed by the crowds at the rallies.