U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland, the semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first became public in 2019. The following is a timeline of developments that have since contributed to tensions between Washington and its European allies.
August 2019: During his first term, Trump expresses interest in purchasing Greenland but says it is “not No. 1 on the burner.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismisses the idea as “an absurd discussion.” Trump later says he canceled a planned trip to Denmark after Frederiksen made a “nasty” statement rejecting his proposal.
Dec. 22, 2024: Weeks before beginning his second term, Trump revives his interest in Greenland, declaring that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede responds that “we are not for sale and will never be for sale.”
Jan. 7, 2025: Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., visits Greenland. Trump, then president-elect, says he will not rule out using military force to take control of the territory.
March 11, 2025: Greenlanders elect a new parliament, with Jens-Frederik Nielsen’s Demokraatit party emerging victorious. Soon afterward, all five parties represented in the legislature reject Trump’s calls for U.S. control of Greenland.
March 27, 2025: Four of the five parties in Greenland’s parliament agree to form a coalition government, with Nielsen as prime minister.
March 28, 2025: Vice President JD Vance visits the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and accuses Denmark of failing to invest sufficiently in the island’s security.
March 29, 2025: Denmark’s foreign minister criticizes the tone of U.S. criticism. Trump says he has never taken “military force off the table.”
Aug. 27, 2025: Denmark’s Foreign Ministry summons the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen after a Danish broadcaster reports that at least three people linked to Trump have been conducting covert influence operations in Greenland.
Dec. 21, 2025: Trump announces that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will serve as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland. Landry says it is an honor to serve in the role “to make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
Dec. 22, 2025: The leaders of Denmark and Greenland reiterate that the United States will not take over Greenland. Denmark’s foreign minister says he will summon the U.S. ambassador.
Jan. 4, 2026: Discussion of a possible U.S. takeover of Greenland intensifies after the United States removes Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela.
Jan. 5, 2026: Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen says an American military takeover of Greenland would effectively mark the end of NATO.
Jan. 6, 2026: Major European leaders join Frederiksen in issuing a statement defending Greenland’s sovereignty. The White House says “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option” for Trump.
Jan. 8, 2026: Trump says in an interview that the United States needs to possess all of Greenland rather than simply rely on a longstanding treaty that gives Washington broad access to the territory for military purposes.
Jan. 13, 2026: Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says Greenland would choose Denmark “if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now.”
Jan. 14, 2026: The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers meet in Washington with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They agree to establish a working group, but Denmark and the White House subsequently give sharply different accounts of its purpose. Denmark announces plans to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic, while several European allies say they will send small numbers of troops to Greenland for Arctic security reconnaissance. Danish media later report that Copenhagen prepared for a potential conflict, including deploying explosives and blood supplies.
Jan. 16, 2026: Trump says he may impose tariffs on countries that do not support U.S. control of Greenland.
Jan. 17, 2026: Trump says he will impose a 10% import tax beginning in February on goods from eight European countries because of their opposition to U.S. control of Greenland.
Jan. 19, 2026: In a text exchange with Norway’s prime minister, Trump links his position on Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and says he no longer feels “an obligation to think purely of Peace.”
Jan. 21, 2026: Hours after saying he wants Greenland “including right, title and ownership,” Trump withdraws the threatened tariffs against European countries. He says he reached an agreement with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security.
Jan. 28, 2026: Technical discussions involving the United States, Denmark and Greenland on an Arctic security agreement begin.
Feb. 21, 2026: Trump says he will send a hospital ship to Greenland, claiming many people there are sick and lack adequate medical care. His announcement comes after Denmark’s military says its forces evacuated a crew member from a U.S. submarine off Greenland for urgent medical treatment. Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen responds, “no thank you,” to the proposed hospital ship.
July 7, 2026: Trump renews tensions ahead of a NATO summit, saying Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.” Frederiksen reiterates that Greenland is “not for sale” and says Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory” in the event of an attack.
Sept. 18, 2026: Trump announces that he has reached a deal to strengthen the U.S. military presence in Greenland. Danish officials respond cautiously, with Frederiksen emphasizing that the planned agreement recognizes Denmark’s sovereignty and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.
Sept. 22, 2026: Trump signs an agreement with Denmark and Greenland to expand the U.S. military presence, describing it as “tremendous for everyone.” However, he does not respond to questions about whether his effort to acquire Greenland is now off the table.