A timeline of US President Donald Trump's interest in Greenland
President Donald Trump’s interest in taking control of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first became publicly known in 2019, but was dismissed as absurd by Denmark's leader
President Donald Trump's interest in a U.S. acquisition of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first became publicly known in 2019.
asserted
interest → take → 2019
Here's a timeline of events that led to a crisis between Washington and its European allies.
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that → lead → Washington
During his first term, Trump expresses interest in buying Greenland for the U.S., but says it's “not No. 1 on the burner.”
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it → express → burner
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismisses it as “an absurd discussion.”
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Frederiksen → dismiss → discussion
Trump then says he canceled a trip to Denmark because Frederiksen made a “nasty” statement in rejecting his idea.
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Frederiksen → say → idea
Weeks before his second term begins, President-elect Trump renews his interest, declaring that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
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ownership → begin → Greenland
Greenland's prime minister, Múte Bourup Egede, says that "we are not for sale and will never be for sale.”
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we → say → sale
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visits Greenland.
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son → visit → Greenland
The president-elect says he won't rule out using military force to take control of Greenland.
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he → say → Greenland
Greenlanders elect a new parliament in a vote that produces a win for the Demokraatit party of Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
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that → elect → Nielsen
Shortly afterward, all five parties in the legislature reject Trump's talk of the U.S. taking control.
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U.S. → reject → control
Four of the five parties in Greenland's parliament agree to form a coalition government with Nielsen as prime minister.
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Four → agree → minister
Vice President JD Vance visits the U.S. Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and accuses Denmark of underinvesting in the island's security.
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Vance → visit → security
Denmark's foreign minister scolds the U.S. for the tone of its criticism.
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minister → scold → criticism
Trump says he never takes “military force off the table.”
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he → say → table
Denmark's Foreign Ministry summons the top U.S. 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.
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people → summon → Greenland
Trump announces that he is appointing Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to serve as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland.
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he → announce → Greenland
Landry says it's an honor to serve in the position “to make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
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Greenland → say → U.S.
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland insist that the U.S. won’t take over Greenland.
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U.S. → insist → Greenland
The Danish foreign minister says he's summoning the U.S. ambassador.
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he → say → ambassador
Talk of a U.S. takeover of Greenland flares up again after the U.S. ousts Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela.
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U.S. → flare → Venezuela
Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen says an American military takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of NATO.
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takeover → say → NATO
Major European leaders join Frederiksen in a statement defending the sovereignty of Greenland.
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leaders → join → Greenland
The White House says that “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option” for Trump.
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utilizing → say → Trump
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 U.S. wide latitude to use Greenland for military posts.
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that → say → posts
Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says Greenland chooses Denmark “if we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now."
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we → say → States
The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers meet in Washington with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
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ministers → meet → State
They agree to set up a working group, but Denmark and the White House then offer sharply diverging public views of its purpose.
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Denmark → agree → 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.
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they → announce → security
Danish media later report that Copenhagen prepared for a real conflict, deploying with explosives and blood supplies.
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Copenhagen → report → explosives
Trump says he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the U.S. controlling Greenland.
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they → say → Greenland
Trump says he will charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations because of their opposition to U.S. control of Greenland.
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he → say → Greenland
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.”
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he → show → Peace
Hours after saying he wants Greenland “including right, title and ownership," Trump scraps the threatened tariffs against European countries.
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Trump → say → countries
He says he agreed with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security.
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he → say → security
Technical talks between the U.S., Denmark and Greenland over an Arctic security deal start.
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talks → start → deal
Trump says he will deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, alleging that many people there are sick and not receiving care.
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people → say → care
His post comes after Denmark’s military said its forces evacuated a crew member of a U.S. submarine off Greenland for urgent medical treatment.
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forces → come → treatment
Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen says “no thank you” to the hospital ship.
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Nielsen → say → ship
Trump renews tensions ahead of a NATO summit, saying that Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark.”
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Greenland → renew → Denmark
…and 3 more, not listed.
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