France has warned Donald Trump not to threaten the European Union’s “sovereign borders” after the president-elect refused to rule out military action to take control of Greenland.
Trump has intensified calls for the United States to buy or arrange an acquisition of the “strategically located” nation, which is an autonomous territory of EU member Denmark.
“This is not about the EU allowing other nations in the world, whoever they are, to attack its sovereign borders,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told radio station France Inter.
He added that while he did not believe the United States would “invade” Greenland, “we have entered an era where we are seeing the return of the law of the fittest.”
“We are a strong continent, we need to strengthen ourselves even more,” he continued, warning that Europe needs to “wake up” to the reality of an increasingly insecure world and “strengthen ourselves militarily in competition.”
Barrot added that he believed the United States “is not inherently imperialist” and said he “didn’t believe” it is changing.
Trump has questioned whether Denmark has any legal right or “interest” in Greenland, stating yesterday: “People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up, because we need it for security.” national.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark and has been part of it for 600 years. The Danish government is in control of Greenland’s foreign and economic policy, but the territory left the EU in 1985 after a referendum.
The United States has a military base there given its strategic position as the shortest ocean crossing between North America and Europe.
The island also has a large reserve of valuable rare earth minerals, such as uranium, that are not found in the United States.
US President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak to the media during a press conference at the Mar-a-Lago Club on January 7, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump escalated his threats to seize Greenland when his son Don Jr. landed in the territory.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that while he did not believe the United States would “invade” Greenland, “we have entered an era in which we are seeing the return of the law of the fittest.”
Trump on Monday refused to rule out military or economic action as part of his stated desire for the United States to take control of Greenland, as well as the Panama Canal. He has also advocated for the acquisition of Canada.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, a reporter asked Trump if he could assure that he would not use “military or economic coercion” to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
“I’m not going to commit to that,” Trump said, when asked if he would rule out using the military.
‘You might have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital for our country.’ He added: “We need Greenland for national security reasons.”
He made the comments when his son Donald Trump Jr. made a trip there to photograph social media content.
Trump Jr. flew his father’s Trump Force One plane into the country. The president-elect called his son’s phone to talk to locals when Jr. was at a cafe.
He said that if Denmark tried to keep Greenland, it would face heavy economic tariffs.
He also questioned, without any evidence, that the people of Greenland would vote to become part of the United States.
Denmark, during Trump’s first term, rejected the then-president’s offer to buy the island, a position the country has made clear it will maintain.
Donald Trump Jr. visits Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Republican lawmakers largely agree with Trump’s plans for Greenland.
Residents wearing MAGA hats stand in front of the Hans Egede Hotel during Donald Trump Jr.’s (not pictured) visit to Nuuk, Greenland.
Greenland, with a population of 57,000, controls most of its own internal affairs as a semi-sovereign territory under the Danish kingdom.
Its relations with Denmark have recently been strained by accusations of historical mistreatment of Greenlanders under colonial rule.
Egede stated that the island is not for sale, while in his New Year’s speech he intensified his pressure for independence from Denmark. Denmark also says that the territory is not for sale and that its fate can only be decided by Greenlanders.
In 2019, Trump canceled a planned visit to Denmark after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected his suggestion that the United States buy Greenland.
Trump also took aim at Canada in recent days, arguing that he believed the United States’ northern neighbor should become the country’s 51st state.
Trump said that while he would not invade Canada, combining it with the United States would result in an “economic force” that would “really be something.”
He also mocked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by calling him “governor” and shared a map showing the two borderless countries adorned with an American flag.
He repeated his argument that the country is economically dependent on the United States. The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner.