President Donald Trump's Greenland Ambition and French President Emmanuel Macron's First Visit to Greenland

President Donald Trump's Greenland Ambition and French President Emmanuel Macron's First Visit to Greenland
Nuuk, Greenland — French President Emmanuel Macron made his first-ever visit to the Arctic island of Greenland — a territory long eyed by former U.S. President Donald Trump — in a move aimed at reaffirming Europe’s political support for Denmark and its semi-autonomous region.

The visit took place on Sunday, ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, which both Macron and Trump are scheduled to attend next week.

According to the French presidential office, Macron’s visit is intended to reiterate Paris’s commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders as enshrined in the UN Charter.

During the trip, Macron is scheduled to meet with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

Last week, during the opening speech of the United Nations Ocean Conference, Macron made pointed remarks about Greenland, stating it is "not something to be looted by anyone" — a comment widely interpreted as a veiled reference to Trump.

"The deep sea is not for sale, and neither is Greenland. The Arctic, the high seas, fishing licenses for developing nations, scientific data, and the safety of coastal communities — none of these are commodities for exploitation," Macron declared at the conference held in Nice, France.

Macron’s Role in Europe
In recent months, President Macron has actively sought to strengthen France’s diplomatic and economic leadership within the European Union. He has positioned himself as a key European leader in the face of potential reduction in U.S. support for Ukraine. Macron even hosted a summit in Paris with EU leaders to address European security and support for Ukraine.

According to the French presidential office, Macron's visit to Greenland will also focus on deepening EU-Greenland relations, promoting economic development, advancing low-carbon energy transitions, and cooperating on critical mineral resources. Joint climate action will also be a central topic of discussion.

The main meeting between Macron, Frederiksen, and Nielsen is set to take place aboard a Danish helicopter carrier — symbolizing France’s emphasis on Arctic security.

Trump and Greenland
Last week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated during a heated congressional hearing that the Pentagon has developed military plans for taking control of both Greenland and Panama if necessary — although he declined to discuss military strategy details on the Signal app.

Hegseth’s remarks are the latest in a string of controversial statements from Trump administration officials regarding Greenland. Trump himself has stated that he does not rule out using military force to take control of Greenland, citing its critical importance to northern security.

Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard instructed intelligence agencies under her command to gather information about Greenland’s independence movement and local attitudes toward U.S. mineral extraction interests.