Trump mocks Greenland defenses as ‘two dog sleds’ ahead of Denmark talks
Trump administration officials are set to meet with Danish officials Wednesday to discuss Greenland — talks that now come after President Donald Trump openly rejected any middle ground, insisting the United States must acquire the territory outright.
Speaking aboard Air Force One Sunday night, Trump warned that Russia or China would move in if Washington doesn’t act, dismissing Greenland’s defenses as inadequate.
“And Greenland basically their defense is two dog sleds,” Trump said. “You know that? You know what their defense is? Two dog sleds.”
Wednesday’s meeting, first reported by CBS News, has not been publicly announced. But it follows days of escalating language from Trump, who has revived his push to acquire the world’s largest island and refused to rule out force.
From interest to escalation
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress last week that Trump remains interested in purchasing Greenland. Soon after, the White House confirmed officials are discussing a wide range of options for acquiring the Danish territory, including military action.
Trump sharpened the message himself on Friday during a meeting with oil executives at the White House. “I would, I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way,” he said. “But if we don’t do it the easy way we’re going to do it the hard way.”
In a separate interview with The New York Times, Trump said ownership of Greenland was important because it is “psychologically needed for success,” while again arguing the territory is critical for U.S. defense.
“I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do, whether you’re talking about a lease or a treaty,” Trump said. “Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document.”
Trump raises the stakes
Trump doubled down further Sunday night, making clear his administration is not interested in leasing Greenland, only acquiring it.
“I haven’t done that,” Trump said when asked if the U.S. had made a formal offer. “Greenland should make the deal because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over.”
He warned that Russian and Chinese military activity in the Arctic leaves the U.S. little choice.
“In the meantime, you have Russian destroyers and submarines, and China destroyers and submarines all over the place,” Trump said. “We’re not going to let that happen.”
Asked about the potential impact on NATO, Trump appeared unmoved.
“If it affects NATO, then it affects NATO,” he said. “They need us more than we need them.”
Congress draws a red line
The president’s comments have triggered unusually direct pushback on Capitol Hill, including from lawmakers who say Congress would act quickly to block any military move.
Sen. Tim Kaine, who himself met with Danish officials last week, said Sunday that lawmakers would force a Senate vote barring U.S. military action against Greenland or Denmark if necessary.
“If we need to, we will get overwhelming bipartisan support that this president is foolish to even suggest this,” Kaine said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “We’re not going to do it the hard way, and we’re not going to do it the easy way, either we’re going to continue to work with Denmark as a sovereign nation that we’re allied with, and we’re not going to treat them as an adversary or as an enemy.”
NATO consequences linger
Other Democrats are warning that the stakes extend far beyond U.S.–Denmark relations.
Sen. Chris Murphy said annexing Greenland could trigger NATO’s collective defense obligation, effectively forcing allies to respond to U.S. military action.
“NATO would have an obligation to defend Greenland,” Murphy said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.” “Query whether we would be at war with Europe, with England, with France.”
Denmark is a member of NATO, whose Article 5 treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a U.S. military move against Greenland would effectively end the alliance.
Rejection from Greenland and Denmark
Leaders in both Denmark and Greenland have rejected Trump’s push outright.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and the leaders of all five parties in Greenland’s parliament issued a joint statement Friday saying they don’t want to become part of the United States.
“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said.
For now, the Wednesday meeting signals engagement, not resolution. But with the White House openly floating force, Congress threatening to step in, and NATO unity suddenly in question, Greenland has gone from a fringe idea to a real geopolitical test.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
