Keir Starmer has publicly backed the Danish prime minister after she demanded the United States cease its threats to forcibly take over Greenland. The British prime minister told broadcasters he supported Mette Frederiksen's criticism of US rhetoric, stating the future of Greenland rests with Denmark and Greenland alone.
Speaking to Sky News, Starmer said: “I stand with her, and she’s right about the future of Greenland.” When asked by the BBC if he agreed with Danish calls for Donald Trump to stop raising the idea of US annexation, Starmer replied: “Yes.” He added: “Greenland and the kingdom of Denmark are to decide the future of Greenland, and only Greenland and the kingdom of Denmark.”
The US president has reiterated his desire to take Greenland, claiming it is necessary for national security. This follows a US raid in Venezuela and a social media post by a rightwing podcaster, Katie Miller, who shared a map of Greenland draped in the US flag with the caption “SOON.” Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy is married to Miller.
Mette Frederiksen responded on Sunday saying the US has no right to annex any part of the Danish kingdom, which also includes the Faroe Islands. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, called Miller’s comments “disrespectful” and on Monday wrote: “Threats, pressure and talk of annexation have no place between friends. Enough is enough.” He affirmed that Greenland remains open to dialogue but not through “random and disrespectful posts on social media.”
Earlier on Monday, migration minister Mike Tapp repeatedly dodged questions about the US threats, telling Sky News: “Diplomacy is delicate, which means we’re not here to give a running commentary in the news.”
