Jess Berthelsen, chair of Greenland’s largest trade union confederation SIK, has firmly rejected US President Donald Trump’s renewed calls for the annexation of the Arctic territory. In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Berthelsen stated that Greenland “will not be annexed” and dismissed Trump’s claims that the territory’s current status poses a national security threat to the United States.
Trump recently alleged that Russian and Chinese ships are “all over” Greenland’s waters, justifying the need for US control. Berthelsen challenged these assertions, saying: “We can’t see it, we can’t recognize it and we can’t understand it.” He noted that the Danish navy and Greenlandic trawlers regularly patrol the waters, and no such activity has been reported. “What is it that he’s talking about?” he asked.
The Trump administration has reportedly considered using military force to seize Greenland, following a raid in Venezuela. European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have rallied behind Greenland and Denmark, stating that only they should decide on matters concerning the territory.
Berthelsen emphasised that Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark with self-government. He said SIK is focused on improving workers’ lives and eventually working toward independence. A 2025 poll found that 84% of Greenlanders support independence, while only 6% back a US takeover. “We are not for sale and we will not be annexed,” Berthelsen declared.
He criticised the US for undermining cooperation through constant threats, including military intervention. “It’s not very comfortable to receive threats from a lifelong friend, a lifelong ally,” he said. “Nobody does that to their friends.” The White House declined to comment further, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that “all options are always on the table” for Trump.
