Trump came up with a new reason for seizing Greenland. This time he blamed Britain

The US President Donald Trump said that Europe is showing weakness, in particular due to the UKʼs decision to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and that is why the US should take control of Greenland.

He wrote about this on the social network Truth Social.

Trump sharply criticized Londonʼs decision to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling it an "act of utter weakness" and "great stupidity". According to him, such steps only encourage China and Russia, which "recognize only force". Trump said that such decisions by NATO allies are part of a "long list of reasons" why the United States should gain control of Greenland for national security reasons.

He specifically mentioned the island of Diego Garcia, where a joint US-British military base is locate, and accused Britain of giving up strategically important territory "for no reason".

The UK government has responded by stressing that the Mauritius deal poses no security risks and guarantees the operation of the Diego Garcia base for at least 99 years. London has also stressed that the deal has previously been supported by the US and other Five Eyes intelligence allies.

The UK has formally agreed to hand over control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in October 2024, keeping part of the key island of Diego Garcia, where a military base is located, for itself.

USA and Greenland

In December 2024, the US President Donald Trump declared that “possession and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for US national security. He has since reiterated his desire to acquire the island.

In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called on the US president to "stop the threats". Denmark decided to significantly increase defense spending on the island and also changed the royal coat of arms to more prominently include the symbols of Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

In November, the Danish Foreign Ministry reported that it had launched a “night watch” to monitor Donald Trump’s statements and actions while Copenhagen slept.

Reuters, citing sources, reported on January 8 that the Trump administration is discussing the possibility of paying Greenlanders between $10 000 and $100 000 to join the US. Polls show that nearly 85% of Greenlanders oppose its secession from the Kingdom of Denmark and joining the US.

On January 13, Republican Congressman Randy Fine introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives that would annex Greenland and grant it the status of the 51st US state.

Trump said that Greenland is necessary for the United States to create a "golden dome" and stressed that NATO should facilitate this. NBC News reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already been instructed to prepare a proposal to purchase the island. Experts have estimated that this could cost the United States $700 billion.

After further threats from the US president, Denmark decided to send additional equipment and troops to Greenland "in connection with training activities" with the participation of European partners.

In response, Trump announced that starting in February he would impose tariffs on eight countries that had sent troops to Greenland. In addition to Denmark, these include Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland.

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