By Newspot Nigeria News Desk
U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has cautioned European leaders that President Donald Trump is serious about his administration’s push to take control of Greenland, warning that the rhetoric poses a real threat to long-standing transatlantic trust.
Ocasio-Cortez delivered the warning during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday, where she appeared alongside U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“It’s unfortunate that partisanship has made this question something that even needs to be asked,” Ocasio-Cortez said, stressing that President Trump’s threats over Greenland “are not a joke” and “not funny.”
According to the New York lawmaker, the administration’s posture risks undermining alliances that have underpinned peace in Europe for decades. She added that the vast majority of Americans do not want to see relations with European allies weakened and remain committed to long-standing partnerships.
Her remarks echoed concerns expressed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also spoke at the conference and said she believes Trump is “very serious” about acquiring the territory. Frederiksen described such ambitions as a violation of basic democratic principles and national sovereignty.
“The Greenlandic people have been very clear: they do not want to become Americans,” she said, rejecting the notion that any territory could simply be bought or transferred.
The Trump administration has repeatedly framed Greenland as a strategic asset, arguing that its Arctic location is vital to countering Russian and Chinese influence as melting polar ice opens new shipping routes and access to natural resources. Greenland hosts NATO-linked military facilities and is rich in oil, gold, copper, iron ore, graphite, and rare earth elements.
U.S. officials have also suggested that Greenland could support infrastructure for a proposed missile defense initiative designed to protect North America from ballistic threats. American and Danish officials are reportedly holding talks in Copenhagen over expanded security cooperation in the Arctic, though Denmark has rejected any suggestion of transferring sovereignty.
President Trump has intensified pressure on Denmark and other NATO allies in recent weeks, accusing Copenhagen of failing to address security risks in the region and insisting the United States should have unrestricted military access to Greenland.
Despite the rhetoric, analysts note that the U.S. already maintains several military facilities in Greenland and has room under existing agreements to expand its presence. What remains unclear is how far Washington intends to push its ambitions—and how Europe will respond.
Newspot Nigeria will continue to monitor developments around U.S.–Europe relations and the growing geopolitical contest in the Arctic.
