In the frigid air of the world's northernmost capital, a single topic dominates every conversation. The people of Nuuk, Greenland, are living in a state of heightened anxiety, gripped by fears that former US President Donald Trump will make good on his threats to acquire their island homeland.
A Population Living in Fear
The atmosphere in the tiny city of 20,000 is described as one of division and deep-seated fear. "People are talking about it everywhere," says local resident and former Greenland Finance Minister, Maliina Abelsen. "People cannot sleep. People are afraid. People are anxious."
Ms Abelsen, who served as minister from 2009 to 2013, explained that the island had begun to calm after initial threats from Trump in 2025. However, the US's dramatic military raid on Venezuela on January 3, 2026, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, has sharply refocused attention on Greenland. There are now suggestions Trump is considering using military power to seize the Danish Arctic territory.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned the international community to take the US leader's ambitions seriously. The rhetoric from Trump's camp has been uncompromising, with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stating on Wednesday night: "Nobody's gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland."
Why Greenland? Strategy, Resources and Sovereignty
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to claim Greenland, framing it as a vital issue for American national security. The island's position within the Arctic Circle is strategically crucial, with world powers long jostling for military control in the region. The US already maintains a missile defence base there.
Washington argues that controlling Greenland would provide a key strategic outpost between the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic. Furthermore, as climate change melts the icecaps, new shipping routes and resource extraction opportunities are becoming viable. Greenland possesses large deposits of rare minerals essential for manufacturing batteries, phones, and electric vehicles, and potentially significant oil and gas reserves.
Speaking from Nuuk, Ms Abelsen told of the local despair. "We are a very small population of 57,000 people. When we get threatened we take it seriously." She delivered a stark critique of Trump's attitude: "The most bleak thing about this is he thinks he is running a real estate agency. Trump thinks he can buy a people and a country. We do not want to go through colonialism again."
She also noted that the Danish military presence in Nuuk has increased since Trump returned to office.
Division and a Sense of Powerlessness
The former politician admits the international dispute is creating "conflict within the population." Patrick Abrahamsen, a 46-year-old rescue helicopter winch operator, says the division in Greenland is on a scale reminiscent of the Brexit debates.
"Trump's rhetoric is activating the opposition in Greenland and getting them to speak up," he said. "When they speak a lot of Greenlanders listen. It is dividing the country." He is referring to the pro-US party Naleraq, which came second in the territory's elections last year and advocates for a defence agreement with Washington.
While Greenlanders agree Trump's rhetoric has escalated, many are sceptical about an actual invasion. Yet, the feeling of powerlessness is pervasive. "There is nothing we can do," admits Abrahamsen. "No military alliance can stand up against the US. So we can just sit back and relax and hope for the best."
His greatest fear is for the indigenous Inuit population, pointing to what he claims is their unequal treatment in the US state of Alaska.
Both locals dismiss Trump's national security justifications. They highlight a 1951 agreement that already grants the US broad rights to "construct, install, maintain, and operate" military bases across Greenland. "Everyone knows it [Trump's claims] are nonsense," says Abrahamsen. Ms Abelsen adds that Russian activity is exaggerated and that "They are not the threat; Trump is the threat."
In response to the escalating situation, European leaders including UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Danish PM Mette Frederiksen issued a joint statement. They called on the US to uphold UN Charter principles of "sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders," firmly stating: "Greenland belongs to its people."
Despite the palpable fear, there is a resilient defiance. Ms Abelsen concludes that terrified residents are not planning to flee. "People are saying no one should take our country. If the US invaded, I would stay as long as possible. It is my country, it is all I have."
