Trump: US will take Greenland “one way or another”

January 10, 2026 / 4:38 PM

Sharjah 24 – KUNA: US President Donald Trump said the United States would pursue taking control of Greenland either “the easy way or the hard way,” citing what he described as national security concerns.

National security justification

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday evening, Trump said he preferred to reach a deal but warned that alternative measures remained on the table. “I would like to make a deal, the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way,” he said.

Concerns over Russia and China

Trump argued that confronting Denmark was necessary to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence over Greenland, the world’s largest island. “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” he said, adding that the US would not accept Russia or China as neighbors.

Denmark and NATO reaction

Denmark has warned that any US military action against Greenland would effectively end the NATO alliance, given the mutual defense commitments among member states.

European response

Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Denmark issued a joint statement affirming that decisions about Greenland’s future rest solely with Greenland and Denmark.