American imperialism increases pressure to take over Greenland

This article was originally published on 14 January, 2026. The situation between the USA and Greenland has developed very quickly, and so parts of this article may have been superseded by events. And yet, in analysing Trump’s reasons for wanting Greenland, and the hypocrisy of the Danish ruling class – who fear losing their colonial possession – this article remains useful in understanding the general processes that are now unfolding at pace.

[Originally published in Danish at marxist.dk]

On 23 December 2024, Trump announced his ambition for the US to take over Greenland. Now, a year later, Trump and his administration are even more insistent on getting Greenland into American hands. People in Trump’s administration are talking about buying the country, and Trump himself will not rule out forcing his will through military means.

Last year, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen famously said that Trump should be taken seriously, but not literally. However, the last year of Trump in the White House has shown that Trump actually means what he says. This has caused widespread panic among the Danish establishment, which, after 300 years of rule, now risks losing its Arctic colony.

The government has issued countless appeals to Trump to change course, but all their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. Trump seems determined to take over Greenland one way or another.

This is the biggest foreign policy crisis for Denmark since World War II and an existential crisis for the kingdom. Martin Krasnik, editor-in-chief of Weekendavisen, aptly put into words the realisation that is spreading at the top of society: 

“There will probably be an offensive move by the US, and it would be foolish to count on decisive help from the US Congress, the Constitution or Denmark's allies. We are at a crossroads in Danish history with the prospect of the dissolution of the Danish kingdom.”

In many ways, the current situation resembles a repeat of what happened last year. But the crisis is now at a higher level. The Danish government is much weaker now than it was a year ago. At the same time, following its attack on Venezuela, the American government is filled with confidence, and proven to the world that it is not afraid to use brute force to enforce its interests.

But why is Trump so determined to gain control of Greenland?

Imperialist great power rivalry

Trump’s desire to take over Greenland is an expression of the general crisis of the capitalist system, which has intensified competition for the world market and increased the contradictions between nations and their respective capitalist classes. We are witnessing a renewed rivalry between the most important imperialist powers, especially the United States and China, but also Russia, which is felt across the globe in the form of wars and conflicts.

We are witnessing a renewed rivalry between the most important imperialist powers / Image: Iecs

The United States is by far the strongest imperialist power in the world, but it is an imperialist power in relative decline. The time when the US was the world’s undisputed superpower and could impose its will on all corners of the world is definitely over. The world today is increasingly reminiscent of the situation leading up to World War I, when the struggle between a handful of imperialist powers led to the division of the entire world between them, into their respective spheres of influence.

Trump’s foreign policy is a recognition of the limitations of American capitalism and the changed global balance of power. Instead of trying to maintain American dominance across the globe, Trump has concluded that American imperialism should first and foremost prioritise strengthening its control over its immediate neighbourhood, and those parts of the world where the US has essential interests. Greenland in the Arctic is one such area.

The US cannot, therefore, accept an independent Greenland for fear that China or Russia will gain a foothold on the North American continent. At the same time, it is abundantly clear to everyone that small, weak Denmark is in no way capable of defending Greenland and enforcing Danish sovereignty over the island. 

Since the end of World War II, such enforcement has been outsourced to the US, which defends the country militarily on behalf of Denmark. Trump is not the first American president to conclude that if the United States pays to defend Greenland, which is in a geopolitically important location for the United States, then the territory should also belong to the United States.

Right now, both Denmark and Greenland have governments in power that support American imperialism. But for American imperialism, the mere possibility that this could change and that governments hostile to the US could come to power is a risk they cannot afford to take in the current global situation. The US therefore feels a need to gain direct control over Greenland to ensure that no ‘irresponsible’ government comes to power that could jeopardise US interests.

The American imperialists are trying to make their desire to take over Greenland appear to be a defensive action. They are trying to paint a picture of an acute Russian and Chinese threat in the Arctic, and claim that it is necessary for the US to own Greenland in order to prevent China and Russia from taking over the country.

The picture that Trump paints of Greenland being surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships is an obvious lie, invented to justify the annexation of the country. It is clear who the real aggressor is: the US, which openly talks about annexing Greenland and thus pushing its border even further north to gain full control over ‘its’ continent.

Exacerbating all divisions

The US’s attempt to take over Greenland has fuelled all divisions at the top of Danish society and exacerbated the political crisis in Danish capitalism. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is criticised both for being too soft on Trump, and for being too hard and escalating the conflict. Whatever she does, it is wrong.

The American imperialists are trying to make their desire to take over Greenland appear to be a defensive action / Image: public domain

Trump’s attempt to take over Greenland has also increased the divisions between the Danish and Greenlandic governments. After last year’s election to the Greenlandic Parliament, Jens-Frederik Nielsen from the Demokraatit party became the new Prime Minister. Demokraatit is the party that talks least about independence in the Greenlandic government, and Jens-Frederik Nielsen has subsequently struck a more conciliatory tone towards Copenhagen than has been heard from Nuuk for years.

On 13 January, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen held a joint press conference with the aim of projecting unity between the two heads of government. At the press conference, Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that “If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark”. However, Jens-Frederik Nielsen's message, delivered at this press conference, is far from a consensus among the Greenlandic elite.

Instead of radiating unity across the kingdom, the events of the last two weeks have revealed that relations between Nuuk and Copenhagen have rarely been more tense than they are right now. This was clearly evident during a Teams meeting on Tuesday, 6 January. The meeting was intended to be used to share confidential information that Danish politicians had received but had not been shared with Greenlandic politicians. Instead of sharing information, disagreements between Danish and Greenlandic politicians boiled over, and the meeting devolved into a shouting match.

After the meeting, Pipaluk Lynge, chair of Greenland’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Committee, told the Danish media: “What kind of commonwealth do they imagine? Are we to be subjects who will be informed later – behind closed doors – or are we to be equals?”

In its typically know-it-all and condescending manner, the Danish Parliament has withheld confidential information from Greenlandic politicians. Pipaluk therefore pointed out that it is hypocritical when Mette Frederiksen says that decisions about Greenland’s future must be made by the Greenlanders, because how can the Greenlanders make any decisions when crucial information is not shared with them?

It is no surprise that Greenlandic politicians are frustrated. After all, it is their country that the US is trying to take over. But how has the Danish establishment responded to the criticism from Greenland? They have accused the Greenlanders of creating division within the Danish Realm.

For example, the newspaper, Berlingske Tidende wrote in an editorial entitled ‘The Greenlanders are feeding the US with good arguments for annexation’ that Pipaluk’s “behavior is incredibly counterproductive, and it shows a lack of Greenlandic understanding of the seriousness of the situation. The more Greenlandic politicians fuel the division between Denmark and Greenland, the weaker the entire realm becomes towards the United States.” 

According to Berlingske, it is the Greenlanders who are behaving unfairly and irresponsibly, in contrast to Denmark, the sensible adult. The old, condescending and paternalistic attitude of the Danish bourgeoisie towards Greenland shines through in every word.

The editorial continues: “All in all, the Greenlanders are busy feeding the US with good arguments as to why an American annexation is necessary. This is true when they talk about independence from Denmark, which is still undefined and therefore deeply risky in the context of NATO.” 

According to Berlingske, it is the Greenlanders’ talk of independence and criticism of Denmark that is the problem, and the responsibility for Trump’s desire to take over Greenland is thus placed on their shoulders. It never occurs to the Danish establishment and those in power that it could be Denmark’s patronising and discriminatory treatment of the Greenlanders that is creating division and a legitimate desire for secession from Danish rule.

In the wake of the Teams meeting, Greenlandic politicians have talked about establishing a direct connection to the US, bypassing Denmark, which is a violation of the principle in the constitution that Denmark conducts foreign policy on behalf of the entire realm.

Danish politicians are insisting on being present in all talks and negotiations, for fear that the Greenlanders will agree to a deal / Image: public domain

The proposal has been met with horror by Danish politicians, who are terrified that Denmark risks being cut out as an intermediary. Danish politicians are therefore insisting on being present in all talks and negotiations, for fear that the Greenlanders will agree to a deal with the US that would mean Denmark losing ownership of Greenland. At a press conference, Mette Frederiksen put into words this Danish insistence on being closely involved in any negotiations with Greenland: “We come together, we stay together, and we leave together.”

But Denmark’s condescending and patronising approach to Greenland has only confirmed the Greenlandic government’s belief that they need to talk to the US without Denmark.

A few days after the Teams meeting, Greenland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt from the Siumut party, said that Greenland should take the lead in meetings with the US and that Greenland should actually be able to hold talks with the US without Denmark. A consensus is spreading across some of the major parties in Greenland (IA, Siumut, and Naleraq) that Greenland needs to conduct its own foreign policy – without Denmark – which the Danish establishment will find difficult to reverse.

While the Danish establishment tries to cling to Greenland and gets upset every time Greenlandic politicians show the slightest openness towards the US, Danish politicians such as Martin Lidegaard have the nerve to say things like: “Greenland could not wish for a better partner than Denmark on the issue of independence.”

A possible purchase agreement

On 7 January, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the US Congress that a purchase offer is on the way ahead of the meeting with Greenland and Denmark. It is still unclear what the agreement will entail, but according to the Greenlandic media outlet Sermitsiaq, there are reports that “every Greenlander will likely be offered more than 6 million kroner per person.”

The US attempt to buy Greenland is clearly an imperialist policy that is not about ensuring a rich and satisfying life for the Greenlandic people within the borders of the US, but only about securing the economic and security interests of the American imperialists in the Arctic.

Many workers and young people in Denmark can easily see this, and are therefore disgusted by Trump’s attempt to buy Greenland and its population as if they were property in a real estate deal.

The only reason why the idea of being bought by the United States may seem attractive to a section of the Greenlandic population, is because of the miserable existence that life under Danish capitalism offers them, and the fact that they are still treated as a colony of Denmark.

Martin Krasnik recently aptly expressed the establishment’s colonial mentality when he began an editorial in Weekendavisen with the words:

“There has been a time for most Danish children when they have sat and looked at a globe and looked at Greenland. Across the enormous, beautiful, white island, the word ‘Greenland’ was written, followed by the intriguing parenthesis (Denmark). And you felt a little tug in your stomach and thought: ‘How wild and strange that it’s ours’.”

According to Krasnik, it is therefore ‘our island’, and not the land of the Greenlanders. And what kind of existence can life under Danish rule offer the Greenlandic people?

Life for the vast majority of Greenlanders is characterised by poverty and a complete lack of positive prospects for the future. Over the weekend of 19-21 December, no fewer than six young people committed suicide in Greenland. Life expectancy for men in Greenland is 69 years and for women 73 years, which is ten years lower than in Denmark and on a par with Syria, which has been through a 13-year civil war!

Normally, the media and politicians never talk about Greenland. The establishment has only become interested in Greenland now that Denmark is about to lose it. Even in the current situation, Danish politicians insist on taking the lead, while Greenland is expected to stand and wait politely in the wings while ‘the adults’ talk to the United States. Denmark has always treated Greenland condescendingly and patronisingly, and this is still the case today.

We do not share the political views of Greenlandic politician Kuno Fencker from the Naleraq party, but when asked by a journalist what Denmark should do differently in its approach to Greenland, he hit the nail on the head: 

“Do as the US does and say that you need Greenland. Denmark has never said that. Denmark has just said that Greenland is an expense and that they should be grateful.”

There is no widespread desire in Greenland to be subject to the United States. Rather, there is a desire to be masters of their own house after more than 300 years of being subject to Denmark as a colony.

A section of the Greenlandic population sees a possible association agreement with the US as a way to improve their lives / Image: Kenny McFly, Wikimedia Commons

At the same time, however, there is a widespread feeling in Greenland that the status quo is completely untenable. American imperialism is trying to exploit this mood by promising positive improvements, if only the country submits to American domination.

A section of the Greenlandic population sees a possible association agreement with the US as a way to improve their lives. Can you blame them? Hardly. While the US promises to improve people’s lives, it is Denmark that bears responsibility for the poverty that characterises the lives of Greenlanders today.

A possible invasion

There has been much speculation about whether the US might attack Greenland militarily. This seems an unlikely scenario, but with the attack on Venezuela, Trump has proven that he is not afraid to enforce his imperialist policies with brute force.

Trump has repeatedly made threats against Greenland, such as: “we’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way.” 

It is therefore understandable that almost four out of ten Danes believe that the US will invade Greenland. It is also understandable that many people in Greenland are nervous and fear an American invasion. In addition to the uncertainty and chaos that a military invasion would cause, many are also well aware that life under American rule would not herald a bright future for the people of Greenland, despite Trump’s promises of a land of milk and honey.

Right now, there are voices from both the right and the left in Denmark demanding a larger Danish military presence in Greenland to deter the US. The demand comes from, among others, the conservative politician Rasmus Jarlov. But the person pushing hardest to send Danish soldiers to Greenland is Pelle Dragsted of the Red-Green Alliance.

In an interview with TV2, Dragsted says: “It should not be the case that you can just land a helicopter in Nuuk and plant the American flag. We need to make it clear that it will be an armed conflict if the Americans go down that path.” In an interview with Information, Dragsted subsequently admits that it is unrealistic that the Danish military would be able to win a conflict with the American military. As he himself puts it, “it will probably be quickly decided.”

When asked the question, “does that mean sacrificing Danish soldiers in a battle you know is lost in advance?” Dragsted replied: “When you have a defence force, it is there to be used, and when you enlist in the Armed Forces, it is of course also a known risk that you will go to war”. In other words, yes, pushing for military confrontation would be sending soldiers to their certain death, completely in vain.

Dragsted is therefore prepared to go to war against the world’s greatest superpower and send soldiers to their deaths, knowing full well that the battle cannot be won. For what? In a desperate and purely symbolic attempt to defend Danish imperialism’s rule over Greenland. In taking a front-row seat in defence of the ‘Kingdom’, Dragsted has illustrated just how far to the right he has shifted, along with the rest of the leadership of the Red-Green Alliance.

Moreover, a Danish military victory against the Americans is completely unrealistic. Denmark will never be able to defeat the American military. Even if Denmark doubled or increased its military presence tenfold, it would still be no match for the American military.

The fact is that Denmark cannot defend Greenland against the US, Russia, China or any other country. This is precisely part of the problem and one reason why the US feels the need to gain direct control over the country.

Danish politicians were very indignant when JD Vance criticised Denmark for neglecting its responsibility to secure Greenland. But Vance has a point, because the Danish government is openly lying about its military capabilities in Greenland and has not kept a single one of the promises it made to the US government about rearming Greenland during Trump’s first term.

The government claims to have invested 90 billion Danish kroner (£10.5 billion) in strengthening Greenland’s defence, but the Danish government only plans to invest 42 billion Danish kroner (£4.9 billion) – far below the 90 billion. At the same time, they are far from implementing the new weapon systems they have allocated money to purchase.

Pelle Dragsted has also said that Denmark should request a force of foreign soldiers in Greenland from countries such as France and the Nordic countries – but this is completely unrealistic.

European countries cannot even agree to send a force to Ukraine to resist Russia, so how could this be possible with Greenland against a NATO ally?

The threats from American imperialism are serious, but we cannot respond by calling on the Danish colonial power to increase its military presence / Image: public domain

Several European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, have issued a statement expressing support for Denmark and defending Greenland’s sovereignty. The establishment in Denmark hopes that these statements of support will help persuade the US to change course. But behind the expressed support for Denmark from various European government leaders lies the reality that Europe is weak, in crisis, and completely dependent on the US. This is clearly revealed by the fact that no one condemns the US or mentions Trump by name.

The powers that be in Europe are trying to tie American imperialism to Europe by keeping the US engaged in the Ukraine war, because the European imperialists themselves are unable to combat Russia’s growing influence in Eastern Europe.

There are therefore clear limits to how far the support for Denmark from European leaders will go, because there are greater interests at stake that they do not want to risk jeopardising because of Greenland.

European countries can neither come to the aid of the Danish kingdom against the US, nor are they willing to do so. The US is well aware of this. As Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s closest advisers, said, “nobody is going to fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland.”

The threats from American imperialism are serious, but we cannot respond by calling on the Danish colonial power to increase its military presence, or by calling on other imperialist powers in NATO to defend Greenland against the US.

This is both naive and, politically speaking, deeply reprehensible. How can anything progressive ever come from strengthening the Danish state’s military presence in Greenland, a country it has oppressed for over 300 years?

We do not fight imperialism by appealing to another imperialism. If the Danish state manages to maintain its control over Greenland, it will simply mean a continuation of the unsustainable status quo in Greenland, which for the majority of Greenlanders means a life of poverty and oppression.

The world in upheaval

The US’s attempt to take over Greenland has exposed the weakness of the Danish ruling class. They have nothing to offer the US and no muscle to prevent the US from taking over Greenland. The entire top echelon of Danish society is therefore in disarray and panic.

In early January, Mette Frederiksen said in an interview that “if the US attacks another NATO country, everything stops”. This reflects both the panic of those in power and the real situation of Danish capitalism. Indeed, the entire old world order, led by the US and on which Danish capitalism has been based for 80 years, is in total disarray.

The mere thought of a different world, where the US does not dominate supremely, and where Denmark can no longer fly under the wing of American imperialism, is unthinkable for the Danish rulers, because they have no other alternative.

It is solely by virtue of its sovereignty over Greenland that the Danish bourgeoisie has had any relevance and influence on the international scene. Since the end of World War II, the Danish bourgeoisie has benefited from a particularly close relationship with the United States, based on Denmark’s ownership of Greenland – a territory where the United States has important security interests. At the same time, the Danish bourgeoisie willingly played the role of the extended arm of American imperialism in Europe.

It was because of this close relationship with the US that government leaders and those in power in the rest of Europe had to listen when Denmark spoke. As an expression of this, Mette Frederiksen was named the second most powerful person in Europe in 2025 by the media outlet Politico.

But now that Denmark’s importance on the world stage is set to be downgraded to the country’s actual size, it is highly doubtful whether various government leaders will continue to answer the phone when Mette Frederiksen calls.

We are in a new era – an era of undisguised imperialism, where the superpowers divide the whole world into their respective spheres of influence. We can only fight Trump and American imperialism by fighting the capitalist system, which is the very driving force behind imperialism.

It is clearer than ever before that the world is governed by the principle that might is right, i.e. the strong have power over the weak. This will always be the case as long as the fundamental driving force in the world is the pursuit of profit and the world is divided into superpowers competing for control of markets, resources, and spheres of influence. In other words, there can be no freedom for small nations such as Greenland (and Denmark) as long as the capitalist system exists.

We must therefore organise ourselves in the struggle to overthrow this rotten capitalist system through a socialist revolution. As communists here in Denmark, we must first and foremost fight to overthrow Danish capitalism and fight for such a revolution to spread. Just as our American sister organisation, the Revolutionary Communist of America, is doing in the United States. This is the greatest contribution Danish workers and young people can make to the Greenlanders’ struggle for freedom from imperialism, colonialism, and oppression.