By Micah Jonah
January 8, 2026
A leading Greenlandic opposition figure has called on the island to engage directly with the United States without Denmark, as debate intensifies over how to respond to renewed interest from U.S. President Donald Trump in bringing Greenland under American control.
Pele Broberg, leader of the Naleraq party, told Reuters that Greenland should bypass Copenhagen and open its own dialogue with Washington. Naleraq is the largest opposition party and the strongest advocate for Greenland’s independence.
“We encourage our current Greenlandic government to have a dialogue with the U.S. government without Denmark,” Broberg said, arguing that Denmark’s role as intermediary has strained relations with both Nuuk and Washington.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with its own parliament and government, but Denmark retains control over foreign affairs and defence. This legal arrangement limits Greenland’s ability to conduct direct diplomatic talks with other countries.
Trump has recently revived an idea he first raised in 2019, suggesting the United States should take control of Greenland. The Arctic island holds strategic importance for U.S. missile defence systems and is rich in minerals that fit Washington’s goal of reducing dependence on China.
Naleraq, which doubled its parliamentary seats to eight in last year’s election and secured about 25 percent of the vote, supports a rapid move toward full independence. Although not part of the governing coalition, the party has floated the idea of a defence agreement or free association with the United States, under which Greenland would receive U.S. protection and support without becoming a U.S. territory.
All major Greenlandic parties support independence in principle, but they differ on the pace and pathway to achieving it.
Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt rejected the idea of direct talks with Washington without Denmark, saying such a move would violate existing legal frameworks.
“We must respect the law, and we have rules for how to resolve issues in the Kingdom,” she told Sermitsiaq newspaper, adding that Greenland cannot legally conduct foreign policy independently at this stage.
Her comments come ahead of a planned meeting next week involving the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Motzfeldt said her hope was that the talks would help stabilise and normalise Greenland’s relationship with Washington.
Denmark and Greenland are seeking to steer the situation back into formal diplomatic channels, analysts say, after a series of provocative statements from Trump.
Meanwhile, NATO ambassadors in Brussels have held what sources described as a cordial discussion on Greenland, agreeing that the alliance needs to strengthen its security posture in the Arctic. While no concrete steps were announced, some countries suggested using flexible multinational deployments and advanced surveillance technologies similar to NATO missions on its eastern flank.
At the European Union level, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc is considering its response should U.S. plans regarding Greenland become more concrete, describing recent signals from Washington as extremely concerning.
Within the Trump administration, officials appear divided. France’s foreign minister said Secretary of State Rubio does not favour military action, but U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington is prepared to go as far as necessary to defend American interests.
The growing debate underscores rising geopolitical tension in the Arctic, where strategic competition between major powers is increasingly shaping diplomatic and security calculations.
