France has warned Donald Trump against threatening the European Union’s “sovereign borders” after the president-elect refused to rule out military action to take control of Greenland.
Trump has stepped up calls for the US to buy or organize the “strategically located” nation, an autonomous territory of EU member Denmark.
“There is no question of the EU allowing other countries in the world, whoever they may be, to attack its sovereign borders,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told radio station France Inter.
He added that while he did not believe the US would “invade” Greenland, “we have entered an era of the return of the law of the strongest.”
“We are a strong continent, we must further strengthen ourselves,” he continued, warning that Europe must “wake up” to the realities of an increasingly uncertain world and “strengthen ourselves militarily in the competitive struggle.”
Barrot added that he believed the United States is “inherently not imperialistic” and said he “did not believe” the United States was changing.
Trump has questioned whether Denmark has any legal right or “interest” in Greenland, stating yesterday: “People actually don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up, because we it for national security.’
Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark and has been part of it for 600 years. The Danish government controls Greenland’s foreign and economic policies, but the territory left the EU in 1985 after a referendum.
The US has a military base there, given its strategic position as the shortest crossing point in the ocean between North America and Europe.
The island also has a large deposit of valuable rare earth minerals – such as uranium – that are not found in the US.
Newly elected US President Donald Trump arrives to speak to members of the media during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago Club on January 7, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida
Trump repeated his threats to take over Greenland when his son Don Jr. landed in the area
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that while he did not believe the US would “invade” Greenland, “we have entered an era in which the return of the law of the strongest is taking place.”
Trump on Monday declined to rule out military or economic action as part of his stated desire to see the U.S. take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal. He has also advocated a takeover of Canada.
During a wide-ranging news 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 whether he would rule out deploying the military.
‘You may have to do something. The Panama Canal is of vital importance to our country.’ He added: “We need Greenland for national security purposes.”
He made the comments as his son Donald Trump Jr. traveled there to photograph social media content.
Trump Jr. took his father’s Trump Force One plane to the country. The president-elect called his son’s phone to talk to locals when Jr. was in a cafe.
He said that if Denmark tried to hold on to Greenland, the country would face heavy economic tariffs.
He also disputed, without evidence, that the people of Greenland would vote to become part of the United States.
Denmark rejected the then-president’s offer to buy the island during Trump’s first term, a position the country has made clear it will continue to exist.
Donald Trump Jr. visits Nuuk, Greenland, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Republican lawmakers largely aware of Trump’s Greenland plans
Residents wearing MAGA hats stand in front of Hotel Hans Egede during Donald Trump Jr.’s visit. (not shown) at Nuuk, Greenland
Greenland, with a population of 57,000, controls most of its own domestic affairs as a semi-sovereign territory under the Danish Empire.
Relations with Denmark have been tense recently over allegations of historical mistreatment of Greenlanders under colonial rule.
Egede has declared the island is not for sale as he stepped up his push for independence from Denmark in his New Year’s speech. Denmark also says the area is not for sale, and its fate can only be decided by the Greenlanders.
In 2019, Trump canceled a planned visit to Denmark after Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected his suggestion that the US buy Greenland.
Trump has also taken aim at Canada in recent days, arguing that he believed the US’s northern neighbor should become the country’s 51st state.
Trump said that while he would not invade Canada, combining it with the US 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 decorated with an American flag.
He reiterated his argument that the country is economically dependent on the United States. The US is Canada’s largest trading partner.