Trump Warns Russia, China Over Greenland, Presses US Control

On January 9, 2026, President Donald Trump, speaking in Washington, D.C., announced that the United States would do "something on Greenland" whether the island’s residents liked it or not. Trump warned that in the absence of U.S. action, Russia or China would seize the territory, adding that such a move would bring a hostile neighbour closer to the Atlantic. Despite Danish Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt’s clear rejection of any sale or military acquisition, Trump hinted that buying Greenland or, failing that, using military force were on the table. Senators Roger Wicker and Jeanne Shaheen, among others, dismissed the possibility of negotiations or military action, calling Trump's claim unrealistic.