We Are Not for Sale": Greenland's PM Draws Red Line Against Trump

The coffee corner at Munich's Hotel Bayerischer Hof was so packed with diplomats trading business cards that spotting recognizable faces seemed impossible. Yet Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland's baby-faced prime minister, was surrounded by throngs wanting handshakes, cards, and selfies at the Munich Security Conference.

At 34, Nielsen has held office for less than a year, but he's spent most of it fending off President Trump's assault on Greenland's sovereignty. The autonomous Danish territory has become an unlikely geopolitical flashpoint, with Trump demanding to acquire or annex it—whether its 55,000 citizens want it or not.

"That's a Red Line"

Over the hum of cappuccino machines, Nielsen's message was crystal clear: "That's a red line. We will not give away territory and compromise our integrity."

While Trump claims he's ruled out taking Greenland by force, his earlier military raid on Venezuela without Congressional approval this year has left no one convinced the crisis is over. As Nielsen spoke, the White House released satirical Valentine's Day cards—one showing Greenland's map inside a heart with the caption: "It's time we define our situationship."

With Scandinavian restraint, Nielsen acknowledged "tense periods" ahead. White House officials confirm Trump remains fixated on Greenland and won't back down, despite ongoing talks about boosting U.S. military presence there. At this month's Alfalfa Club dinner, attendees say Trump privately reinforced his desire to "buy" Greenland, not invade it.

Cooperation Yes, Sale No

When told of Trump's comments, Nielsen looked frustrated but unsurprised. "That is not acceptable. We will not give it away. But in terms of more military personnel and cooperation—let's talk. We can figure things out."

Ironically, Nielsen worked as a real-estate agent before entering politics in 2020. His perspective sharply contrasts with Trump's real-estate logic: "You defend ownership, you don't defend leases." For Nielsen, "It's a matter of international law and sovereignty."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, headlining the conference, didn't mention Greenland or the Arctic in his keynote—despite Trump citing Chinese and Russian Arctic intrusion as justification for his Greenland obsession. Instead, Rubio struck a conciliatory tone, declaring the U.S. "will always be a child of Europe" while stressing the need to revitalize the alliance.

An Unexpected Geopolitical Spotlight

Since Trump's initial 2019 interest in Greenland, this island of 55,000 has transformed dramatically. Companies seeking to invest in abundant natural resources have flocked there. Tourism has spiked. An economy once reliant on fishing has embraced infrastructure development, including a new airport that opened in capital Nuuk in 2024.

Diplomatic presence has exploded too. The U.S. opened a consulate in Nuuk in 2020—its first since 1953. The EU, Canada, and France followed, with the latter two responding directly to Trump's renewed threats. Nielsen welcomes it all, provided there's "cooperation with mutual respect."

Nielsen has never met or spoken with Trump, though he described yesterday's conversation with Rubio as "constructive." Most sovereignty discussions happen through Denmark or NATO—a process he finds more productive. He emphasized progress by the working group formed after Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met with Vance and Rubio in Washington last month.

The Price of Sovereignty

Trump's backing down on forcible annexation stems partly from poor domestic reception. A new AP/NORC poll found seven in 10 U.S. adults disapprove of Trump's Greenland handling, including about half of Republicans.

Nielsen worries about Greenland's future being defined by others—even well-intentioned allies. But he offered Trump an olive branch: "We are willing to talk about the security concerns he has. We want to talk."