The European Parliament has formally expressed its “unequivocal support to Greenland and Denmark” following United States President Donald Trump's persistent threats to acquire the island, stating it would be “one way or another”. In a statement adopted by the Conference of Presidents, which includes political group leaders, the Parliament “unequivocally condemns the statements made by the Trump administration regarding Greenland, which constitute a blatant challenge to international law, to the principles of the United Nations Charter and to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a NATO ally”. The statement firmly rejects “external attempts to alter the [Greenland’s] status quo” and calls on the European Commission and EU member states to provide concrete and tangible support to Greenland and Denmark.

President Trump had repeatedly insisted that ownership of Greenland should be transferred to the United States. He posted on Truth Social, “NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. If we don't, Russia or China will, and that is not going to happen.” Trump also argued that militarily, NATO would be ineffective without the vast power of the United States. His renewed threats to acquire Greenland through coercive means came ahead of a meeting where Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers were set to meet US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House.

Both the governments in Copenhagen and Nuuk have consistently asserted that Greenland, the world’s largest island, is “not for sale”. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized that if forced to choose between being a protectorate of Denmark and Europe or a possession of the US, Greenland would choose Europe. “Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States. We choose Greenland as we know it now and that's as part of the community of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Nielsen stated. Trump responded to Nielsen's rejection by saying, “That’s going to be a big problem for him.”

The European Union, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has also voiced strong support for Greenland's sovereignty, affirming that it “belongs to its people” and that the EU respects the wishes and interests of the Greenlanders. The broader implications of Trump’s bellicose rhetoric are seen as a potential “death knell for both the broad transatlantic alliance and NATO specifically,” with NATO sources expressing despair at the prospect of allies turning on each other amidst global instability.

While the Trump administration claims Greenland is a weak link in US security architecture, the US has significantly decreased its military presence there since the Cold War, operating only one site, the Pituffik Space Base. NATO allies acknowledge the need for stronger security in the Arctic against Russian and Chinese interests, especially with global warming opening new trade and transport opportunities. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted the risk of increased Russian and Chinese activity with opening sea lanes.

In response to these geopolitical tensions, Denmark is actively expanding its permanent military presence in Greenland in close cooperation with NATO allies, aiming to train abilities for Arctic conditions and strengthen the alliance’s footprint for European and transatlantic security. Other European nations, including Germany, the UK, and France, have expressed readiness to participate in enhanced surveillance in the region across sea, land, and air, potentially including military exercises. Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul highlighted that the safety of Greenland and the Arctic is in the interest of NATO and Europe as a whole, particularly for the vital North Atlantic route.

Donald Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, sharply criticized the president's aggressive threats, stating that “the talk of using military force is costing the US in terms you can't even calculate, in terms of trust and good faith and our reputation.” Bolton called it “a disaster for the United States” and predicted a “political earthquake” if military force were attempted. Polls cited by Bolton show only 8% of US respondents favor using force to take Greenland, while over 80% of Greenlanders oppose joining the US.