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President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with US oil companies executives in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on January 9, 2026.
(Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump Vows to 'Do Something' With Greenland 'Whether They Like It or Not'
The Trump administration has been ratcheting up threats against Europe in the wake of its invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro.
Jan 09, 2026
President Donald Trump finished up a busy week by once again leveling threats against longtime allies over their refusal to hand Greenland over to US control.
While taking questions from reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump was asked about a reported plan to win over Greenlanders on joining the US by giving them annual $10,000 payments.
"I'm not talking about money for Greenland yet," the president replied. "I might talk about that, but right now we are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not."
Trump: "We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not because if we don't, Russia or China will take over Greenland. If we don't do it the easy way we're gonna do it the hard way." pic.twitter.com/Pb29UqBzCC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 9, 2026
Trump then explained his purported rationale for making Greenland a US territory.
"If we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland," he said. "And we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."
Neither Russia nor China have shown any indication that they want to take over Greenland, which is currently a self-governed Danish territory. Because Denmark is a founding member of NATO, an attack on its territory from Russia or China would trigger a counterattack by all other NATO members, theoretically including the US.
Trump then informed the press that he would "like to make a deal the easy way" to acquire Greenland, before adding that "if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
The president then claimed that he was a "fan of Denmark," even though seconds ago he hinted at using military force to seize their territory.
"The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land," Trump said. "I'm sure we had lots of boats go there also."
The Trump administration has been ratcheting up threats against Europe in the wake of its invasion of Venezuela and the US abduction of President Nicolás Maduro last week.
Top Trump aide Stephen Miller on Monday refused to rule out using the military to take Greenland, telling CNN host Jake Tapper that "we live in a world... that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power."
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President Donald Trump finished up a busy week by once again leveling threats against longtime allies over their refusal to hand Greenland over to US control.
While taking questions from reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump was asked about a reported plan to win over Greenlanders on joining the US by giving them annual $10,000 payments.
"I'm not talking about money for Greenland yet," the president replied. "I might talk about that, but right now we are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not."
Trump: "We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not because if we don't, Russia or China will take over Greenland. If we don't do it the easy way we're gonna do it the hard way." pic.twitter.com/Pb29UqBzCC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 9, 2026
Trump then explained his purported rationale for making Greenland a US territory.
"If we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland," he said. "And we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."
Neither Russia nor China have shown any indication that they want to take over Greenland, which is currently a self-governed Danish territory. Because Denmark is a founding member of NATO, an attack on its territory from Russia or China would trigger a counterattack by all other NATO members, theoretically including the US.
Trump then informed the press that he would "like to make a deal the easy way" to acquire Greenland, before adding that "if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
The president then claimed that he was a "fan of Denmark," even though seconds ago he hinted at using military force to seize their territory.
"The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land," Trump said. "I'm sure we had lots of boats go there also."
The Trump administration has been ratcheting up threats against Europe in the wake of its invasion of Venezuela and the US abduction of President Nicolás Maduro last week.
Top Trump aide Stephen Miller on Monday refused to rule out using the military to take Greenland, telling CNN host Jake Tapper that "we live in a world... that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power."
From Your Site Articles
- ‘You Cannot Annex Other Countries’: Greenland, Denmark Furious at Trump Special Envoy Appointment ›
- 'We Must Stop Him': Gallego Bill Would Ban Funding for Trump Greenland Invasion ›
- Denmark Taking Greenland Threats 'Seriously' as Trump Eyes More Military Interventions ›
Related Articles Around the Web
President Donald Trump finished up a busy week by once again leveling threats against longtime allies over their refusal to hand Greenland over to US control.
While taking questions from reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump was asked about a reported plan to win over Greenlanders on joining the US by giving them annual $10,000 payments.
"I'm not talking about money for Greenland yet," the president replied. "I might talk about that, but right now we are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not."
Trump: "We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not because if we don't, Russia or China will take over Greenland. If we don't do it the easy way we're gonna do it the hard way." pic.twitter.com/Pb29UqBzCC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 9, 2026
Trump then explained his purported rationale for making Greenland a US territory.
"If we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland," he said. "And we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor."
Neither Russia nor China have shown any indication that they want to take over Greenland, which is currently a self-governed Danish territory. Because Denmark is a founding member of NATO, an attack on its territory from Russia or China would trigger a counterattack by all other NATO members, theoretically including the US.
Trump then informed the press that he would "like to make a deal the easy way" to acquire Greenland, before adding that "if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
The president then claimed that he was a "fan of Denmark," even though seconds ago he hinted at using military force to seize their territory.
"The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land," Trump said. "I'm sure we had lots of boats go there also."
The Trump administration has been ratcheting up threats against Europe in the wake of its invasion of Venezuela and the US abduction of President Nicolás Maduro last week.
Top Trump aide Stephen Miller on Monday refused to rule out using the military to take Greenland, telling CNN host Jake Tapper that "we live in a world... that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power."
From Your Site Articles
- ‘You Cannot Annex Other Countries’: Greenland, Denmark Furious at Trump Special Envoy Appointment ›
- 'We Must Stop Him': Gallego Bill Would Ban Funding for Trump Greenland Invasion ›
- Denmark Taking Greenland Threats 'Seriously' as Trump Eyes More Military Interventions ›
Related Articles Around the Web
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