A surprising alignment is taking shape between Denmark and Greenland, prompted by continued interest from former U.S. President donald Trump in acquiring the strategically important Arctic territory. While ancient grievances stemming from denmark’s colonial past remain, these have been temporarily set aside as both nations navigate increasing geopolitical pressure in the region. The shifting dynamic underscores the Arctic’s growing significance and highlights a complex relationship navigating both historical wounds and current strategic realities.
A renewed sense of unity between Denmark and Greenland is emerging as a direct response to the ambitions of former U.S. President Donald Trump, temporarily setting aside a difficult reckoning with the legacy of Danish colonial rule. The shift highlights the strategic importance of the Arctic region and the growing geopolitical competition for influence there.
“Greenlanders still harbor many grievances towards Denmark, criticizing its unwillingness to fully confront its colonial past,” explained Ulrik Pram Gad, a researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS).
However, Gad added that pressure from Trump has prompted a majority of political forces within the Greenlandic coalition government to temporarily put independence preparations on hold, despite it being a long-term goal.
While most major Greenlandic parties support eventual independence, they disagree on the path forward. The American pressure led them to form a coalition in March 2025.
The Naleraq party, which advocates for rapid independence, remains in opposition.
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“Clear support from Europe” in the face of Trump’s ambitions “facilitated this decision [to delay independence], as the relationship with Denmark feels less restrictive when other countries also engage with Greenland,” the researcher noted.
At the height of the tensions, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated that his government would choose Denmark over the United States if forced to decide.
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Since returning to power last year, Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to “acquire” Greenland, citing a need to counter Russian and Chinese advances in the Arctic.
>> La galerie photo du Groenland aujourd’hui:
A Colonial Past
The current display of unity masks the lingering effects of Denmark’s colonial history with Greenland, a vast territory currently home to approximately 57,000 people.
Beginning in the early 18th century, Greenland was a Danish colony. In 1953, it became a Danish department, an integral part of the “Kingdom of Denmark” alongside Denmark and the Faroe Islands. This period was marked by a policy of forced assimilation. Greenland gained self-rule in 1979, with those powers expanded in 2009.
“It’s a long history, unfolding in different stages. Any colonial relationship is one of domination, and injustices were committed,” said Astrid Andersen, a specialist in Danish-Greenlandic relations at DIIS.
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Forced Sterilizations
The historical wounds run deep, beginning with an effort to create a Danish-speaking elite.
In 1951, 22 Inuit children were sent to Denmark, separated from their families and prohibited from speaking Greenlandic. In 2021, the six surviving individuals each received 250,000 Danish kroner, roughly 31,000 Swiss francs, in compensation.
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Later, from the 1960s for over three decades, Denmark orchestrated a campaign to reduce the birth rate across the vast Arctic island.
More than 4,000 women and teenage girls had intrauterine devices (IUDs) inserted without their consent. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued an apology to these women last year, with nearly half unable to have children as a result. They are now eligible to seek compensation.
>> Lire : Contraception forcée au Groenland: le mea culpa historique du Danemark
![La Première ministre danoise Mette Frederiksen, au centre, salue et présente ses excuses aux femmes concernées par le programme forcé de contraception, après une réunion à la maison de la culture Katuaq à Nuuk. Groenland, le 24 septembre 2025. [KEYSTONE - MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN]](https://img.rts.ch/articles/2025/image/o9zdul-29009001.image?mw=1280 "La Première ministre danoise Mette Frederiksen, au centre, salue et présente ses excuses aux femmes concernées par le programme forcé de contraception, après une réunion à la maison de la culture Katuaq à Nuuk. Groenland, le 24 septembre 2025. [KEYSTONE - MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN]")
Relations were also strained by the use of contested psychological tests by Danish social services to assess the parenting skills of Greenlandic mothers.
A 2022 study showed that in Denmark, children born to Greenlandic parents were five to seven times more likely to be taken into care than children born to Danish parents. The use of these tests was discontinued last year.
According to Andersen, discussions initiated in recent years around these issues are currently “put on hold.” “This year, the pressure from Trump has intensified considerably… The current common adversary is Trump, and we must somehow face this situation together,” she said.
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