President Donald Trump’s renewed insistence that the United States should "get Greenland" has reopened a diplomatic wound between Washington and Copenhagen, reviving memories of the only time the US successfully purchased Danish territory: the 1917 acquisition of the Danish West Indies.

President Trump has argued that the U.S. needs to control Greenland to ensure its own security in the face of rising threats from China and Russia.

Denmark has welcomed a meeting with the U.S. next week to discuss the Trump administration's renewed interest in acquiring Greenland

Denmark has said that its 1952 directive that allows its military to shoot first at invaders and ask questions later still remains valid as Donald Trump's threat to takeover continues to persist., World News,

The Trump administration is actively exploring ways to acquire Greenland, either through purchase or by force.

Denmark has warned its troops are under standing orders to "shoot first and ask questions later" if Greenland is attacked, as Europe grows anxious over potential US military action. The US is reportedly considering cash payments to Greenlanders to encourage independence from Denmark,

EADaily, January 7th, 2026. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress that the administration's recent threats against Greenland do not mean an imminent invasion, and the goal is to buy the island from Denmark,

Denmark's king changed his royal coat of arms to give Greenland more space after Donald Trump said he wanted to purchase the territory.