An advocate for Greenland’s sovereignty expressed outrage after an image emerged showing Greenland overlaid with the U.S. flag. This reaction followed President Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal with Denmark to enhance the U.S. military presence on the Arctic island.
Trump stated the agreement would grant the U.S. “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing all of our many U.S. concerns.” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen expressed optimism about the deal on Instagram, noting, “Next week could be a good week for Greenland, Denmark, and the United States alike.”
Orla Joelson, critical of Trump’s past suggestions that the U.S. could acquire Greenland, slammed comments from MAGA supporters claiming U.S. ownership of the island. Referring to these claims as “shameless propaganda,” Joelson insisted, “The United States is NOT getting ownership of Greenland. Stop plastering the U.S. flag on our land as if Greenland has somehow become American territory. It hasn’t.”
Katie Miller, spouse of Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, had posted an image with the stars and stripes superimposed over Greenland. This prompted Joelson’s response. The Danish ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, urged Washington to respect Denmark’s territory.
Joelson further clarified on X that while the deal expands military access and provides veto rights, it involves no transfer of sovereignty. A statement from the U.S. State Department described the deal as an “unprecedented agreement with Greenland and Denmark, permanently guaranteeing U.S. security interests in the Arctic at no cost to the U.S. taxpayer.”
“President Trump has obtained a historic deal that no other U.S. President in history could have delivered, completely and permanently satisfying all U.S. demands,” the statement added.
Mixed reactions followed Miller’s post, with some criticizing the depiction and questioning the new deal’s authenticity. Comments on X highlighted dissatisfaction, with users emphasizing Greenland’s sovereignty and Denmark’s territorial rights.
The agreement reportedly allows the U.S. to develop a military presence in Greenland. Although the U.S. already has bases there under NATO authorization, the details of the new deal remain unclear as it is built upon the previous agreement from 1951. The Associated Press reported that the new agreement might guarantee China and Russia cannot establish bases in Greenland, restricting adversaries from investing in sensitive sectors on the island.
Author and journalist Anne Applebaum remarked on X that the new deal largely mirrors the existing agreement in Greenland, stating, “any new nuances could have been added without the threats, drama, clumsy covert campaigns, and overt attempts to buy influence.” While the U.S. State Department said Greenland would remain part of the strategic defense area of North America, it insisted that no non-NATO country may build a base or maintain troops in Greenland under the new deal.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen noted the deal would be signed by the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland governments at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. However, it still requires parliamentary approval from the Danish and Greenland governments. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated the deal benefits all parties and “recognizes Greenland’s interests.”
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