COPENHAGEN — President Trump is meeting with NATO allies in Switzerland today. His vow to take Greenland from Denmark — by force if necessary — has shaken the alliance, sparking outrage here in Denmark, one of America’s closest NATO allies.
Thousands took to the streets to protest what they see as a betrayal of a decades‑long friendship, marching from Copenhagen City Hall to the U.S. Embassy, waving Greenlandic flags and chanting, “Greenland is not for sale.”
Protesters say the issue goes deeper than territorial claims. “I’m here to protest against the Americans trying to take Greenland out of the U.S. government at this time,” said protester Frederik Hjordt.
About 10,000 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen for a calm but emotional protest. Many expressed confusion more than anger, saying they believed Denmark and the United States were friends, and didn’t understand why they suddenly feel cast as adversaries.
WATCH: Why Is Trump so Insistent About the US Needing to Own Greenland?
For many Danes, the American rhetoric feels like a betrayal of decades of military partnership. Many recall the sacrifices their troops made in Iraq and Afghanistan, where Denmark lost more soldiers per capita than any other NATO country after the United States invoked Article Five for the first and only time in NATO history.
“We were the only country to lose as many troops as the Americans in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And we support American troops every time,” another demonstrator said.
The sense of disbelief is widespread among protesters.
“Well, it’s surreal. It’s like this is not even happening. We’ve always looked upon the U.S. as a trusted partner. We’ve tried to be a trusted partner the other way. You believe in mutual collaboration — and then suddenly it’s turned around. I don’t think it has even sunk in yet. It shows that even your closest friend you cannot always trust, which is really strange,” said Frank Earestrup.
Some warn that the president’s threats could have far‑reaching consequences for NATO itself.
“The main problem here is that Greenland and Denmark are members of NATO. You cannot attack another country within NATO without dissolving the whole situation in NATO, which is 80 years old after the Second World War. If he does that, that’s the end of everything. You cannot attack another member of the same union,” said a protester named Elizabeth.
As tensions mounted, a bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Copenhagen to calm the situation, underscoring divisions in Washington.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said, “There’s a lot that we’ve got to do here. But there is one thing we should not be doing — any effort that would seek to annex Greenland.”
The delegation sought to reassure Danish and Greenlandic officials, directly contradicting the White House’s security claims.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said, “I think I speak for every senator and House member here: we deeply value NATO, and this 80‑year‑old alliance has been absolutely critical to the United States’ security, prosperity, and success. Greenland is part of Denmark. Denmark is our NATO ally. That should be the end of this discussion, in my view.”
* This is original field reporting from CBN News in Denmark. An AI tool was used to partially format the broadcast script into a news article for the web.
