Massive Protests Across Denmark: 'Hands Off Greenland'

Thousands Take to Streets Against Trump's Greenland Annexation Plans

In a powerful show of solidarity, tens of thousands of protesters flooded streets across Denmark on January 17, 2026, demanding an end to former US President Donald Trump's threats to annex Greenland. The massive demonstrations, organized under the banner 'Hands Off Greenland,' represent the largest public response yet to Trump's escalating rhetoric about acquiring the autonomous Danish territory.

'Greenland Is Not For Sale'

In Copenhagen's City Hall Square, protesters waved Greenlandic flags and chanted 'Kalaallit Nunaat' (Greenland's name in Greenlandic) while holding signs reading 'Greenland is not for sale' and 'Respect our sovereignty.' According to organizers, approximately 20,000 people participated in the capital alone, with additional protests occurring simultaneously in Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense, and Kolding.

'The United States used to be our friends. Now it feels like they're our enemy,' a Danish veteran told reporters at the Aarhus demonstration. 'They want to take Greenland - how can that be? You can't just take another country and another people.'

Geopolitical Tensions Escalate

The protests coincide with a visit by US congressional delegates to Denmark and follow Trump's recent announcement of 10% tariffs on eight European countries - including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland - for opposing US plans to acquire Greenland. Trump has threatened to increase these tariffs to 25% by June 1, 2026, unless a deal is reached for what he calls the 'Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.'

Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has been at the center of geopolitical tensions since Trump's return to the White House in 2025. The former president has repeatedly stated that acquiring Greenland is 'necessary for US security' and has not ruled out military intervention.

Failed Diplomatic Efforts

This week, foreign ministers from Denmark and Greenland met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance in Washington, but the talks failed to produce any breakthrough. 'We have not succeeded in changing the American position,' Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated after the meeting.

Experts question Trump's stated security motivations, pointing instead to Greenland's strategic military location and valuable resources. The island contains significant deposits of uranium and rare earth minerals, while its position in the Arctic makes it crucial for missile defense systems. The US already operates Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) in northwest Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark.

Greenlandic Opposition and International Response

In Nuuk, Greenland's capital, parallel demonstrations drew significant crowds expressing opposition to any US takeover. Polls indicate that approximately 85% of Greenlanders oppose joining the United States, valuing their autonomy within the Danish realm.

The situation has created unprecedented strain within NATO, as Article 5 obligations would require member states to defend Danish sovereignty if threatened. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen criticized Trump for using Greenland as a distraction from more pressing security concerns like Russia's war in Ukraine.

European nations have begun demonstrating their commitment to Greenland's sovereignty, with several countries, including the Netherlands, announcing they will send military personnel to participate in upcoming defense exercises in Greenlandic waters.

The protests represent a growing public mobilization against what many see as a violation of international law and the right to self-determination. As one Copenhagen protester told reporters: 'This isn't just about Greenland - it's about whether powerful nations can simply take what they want from smaller ones.'