Here’s a timeline of events that led to a crisis between Washington and its European allies. President Donald Trump’s interest in a US acquisition of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first became publicly known in 2019.
The president-elect says he won’t rule out using military force to take control of Greenland. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismisses it as “an absurd discussion. Dec. Jan.
Aug., 2019: During his first term, Trump expresses interest in buying Greenland for the US, but says it’s “not No. 1 on the burner. 22, 2024: Weeks before his second term begins, President-elect Trump renews his interest, declaring that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity. 7, 2025: Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., visits Greenland.
Trump then says he canceled a trip to Denmark because Frederiksen made a “nasty” statement in rejecting his idea. Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Bourup Egede, says that “we are not for sale and will never be for sale.
Shortly afterward, all five parties in the legislature reject Trump’s talk of the US taking control. Aug. Dec. Jeff Landry to serve as the US special envoy to Greenland. Jan. They agree to set up a working group, but Denmark and the White House then offer sharply diverging public views of its purpose. Denmark announces plans to boost the country’s military presence in the Arctic and several European allies say they’re sending small numbers of troops to Greenland for reconnaissance on Arctic security. Danish media later report that Copenhagen prepared for a real conflict, deploying with explosives and blood supplies.
March 11, 2025: Greenlanders elect a new parliament in a vote that produces a win for the Demokraatit party of Jens-Frederik Nielsen. 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 US Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and accuses Denmark of underinvesting in the island’s security. March 29, 2025: Denmark’s foreign minister scolds the US for the tone of its criticism. 27, 2025: Denmark’s Foreign Ministry summons the top US diplomat in Copenhagen after a Danish broadcaster reports that at least three people with connections to Trump have been carrying out covert influence operations in Greenland. 21, 2025: Trump announces that he is appointing Louisiana Gov. 22, 2025: The leaders of Denmark and Greenland insist that the US won’t take over Greenland. 4, 2026: Talk of a US takeover of Greenland flares up again after the US ousts Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela. 5, 2026: Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen says an American military takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of NATO. 6, 2026: Major European leaders join Frederiksen in a statement defending the sovereignty of Greenland. 8, 2026: Trump says in an interview that he has to possess the entirety of Greenland instead of just exercising a long-standing treaty that gives the US wide latitude to use Greenland for military posts. 13, 2026: Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says Greenland chooses Denmark “if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now. 14, 2026: The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers meet in Washington with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 16, 2026: Trump says he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the US controlling Greenland.
Trump says he never takes “military force off the table. Landry says it’s an honor to serve in the position “to make Greenland a part of the US. The Danish foreign minister says he’s summoning the US ambassador. The White House says that “utilizing the US military is always an option” for Trump.
Jan. Feb. Sept. Danish officials are cautiously optimistic, with Frederiksen emphasizing that the planned agreement recognizes Denmark’s sovereignty and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination. But he does not respond to questions about whether his quest to acquire the territory was off the table.
Because of their opposition to US control of Greenland, 17, 2026: Trump says he will charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations. 19, 2026: An exchange of texts with the Norwegian prime minister shows Trump linking his stance on Greenland to not winning the Nobel Peace Prize and saying that he no longer feels “an obligation to think purely of Peace. 28, 2026: Technical talks between the US, Denmark and Greenland over an Arctic security deal start. 21, 2026: Trump says he will deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, alleging that many people there are sick and not receiving care. July 7, 2026: Trump renews tensions ahead of a NATO summit, saying that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark. 18, 2026: Trump announces that he has a deal to bolster the US military presence in Greenland. 22, 2026: Trump signs deal with Denmark and Greenland to expand US military presence, describing it as “tremendous for everyone.
21, 2026: Hours after saying he wants Greenland “including right, title and ownership,” Trump scraps the threatened tariffs against European countries. He says he agreed with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security. His post comes after Denmark’s military said its forces evacuated a crew member of a US submarine off Greenland for urgent medical treatment. Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says “no thank you” to the hospital ship. Frederiksen reiterates that Greenland is “not for sale” and says that Denmark is “ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory” in the event of an attack.
