TRANSCRIPT:
At first it was treated as a joke, an American president suggesting he wanted to take over territory belonging to a European ally.
No-one’s laughing now.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen certainly isn’t.
“I believe that the American President should be taken seriously when he says that he wants Greenland. But I also want to make it clear that if the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops. That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.”
Those living in Greenland are also taking Donald Trump’s remarks more seriously than they have in the past.
Christian Elsner lives in Greenland's capital, Nuuk.
“Yes much more serious – it suddenly came up to a completely different level, you could say. You can see that he simply does whatever suits him, which I find quite disturbing."
Another Nuuk local, Patrick Abraham, says recent events in South America have worried him.
"In the light of Venezuela, that it comes so promptly afterward, one has to take it a bit more seriously."
Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen is telling citizens not to be afraid - that Greenland, a democratic country, cannot be compared to Venezuela.
But since the operation in Venezuela, President Trump has repeatedly mentioned his desire to control Greenland.
"We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and the European Union needs us to have it, and they know that.”
The European Union doesn't agree.
Anita Hipper is the EU's Foreign Affairs and Security Policy spokeswoman.
“The EU will continue to uphold the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders and the UN Charter."
Greenland already hosts several hundred US service members at a Space Base, and Denmark has made it clear it’s open to an even bigger US military presence on the island.
Both countries are members of NATO so should any attempt be made by the U-S to annexe Greenland, it would be the biggest threat to the alliance’s survival since it was formed 76 years ago.
Rasmus Sinding Sondergaard is with the Danish Institute of International Studies.
“In case of a US military invasion of Greenland, which I think is unlikely still, in that scenario, though, the NATO alliance would in reality de facto cease to exist. If you have one member attacking another member, there is no alliance.”
Other NATO members are making it clear they support the Danish position, although none has said what they would do in response to a hostile takeover attempt.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had this to say.
"The future Greenland is for Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark, and for Greenland and the future of Denmark only.”
It's a view shared by most Danes, such as Copenhagen resident Johanne Knuddsen.
"It's absurd. And I think he's the archetype of greed, and we need to push back, let him know that this is not, this is not for him. And, yeah, it's just madness.”
