France has warned President-elect Donald Trump against threatening military action on Greenland, adding that the European Union will not stand by if its "sovereign borders" are attacked.
Newsweek has contacted the Trump transition team outside of regular working hours and the French Foreign Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The comments from French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot suggest that Trump's renewed calls for the U.S. to take control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of EU member, not to mention NATO ally, Denmark, could escalate into a full-blown diplomatic crisis as the president-elect returns to the White House on January 20.
What to Know
Trump has reignited his proposal for the U.S. to acquire Greenland in recent weeks. He first floated the idea during his presidency in 2019.
Speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump escalated his recent calls by refusing to rule out using military force to take over the island or regain control of the Panama Canal.
In an interview with France Inter radio on Wednesday, Barrot warned that the EU would not allow other nations to attack its "sovereign borders."
Barrot added that he does not believe the U.S. will "invade" Greenland but the current global climate feels like "survival of the fittest."
As well as being a member of the EU, Denmark is part of the western military alliance NATO along with the U.S.
Trump has frequently threatened to withdraw the U.S. from NATO over cost concerns.
Both Danish and Greenlandic governments have expressed strong opposition to any suggestion of a sale of the island to the U.S.
Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland's capital Nuuk on Tuesday. A source familiar with the trip previously told Newsweek the visit was a private one to film video content for his podcast and not related to official business.
What People Are Saying
Jean-Noël Barrot, French foreign minister, on France Inter radio Wednesday: ""If you're asking me whether I think the United States will invade Greenland, my answer is no. But have we entered into a period of time when it is survival of the fittest? Then my answer is yes...
"It is is obviously out of the question that the European Union would let other nations of the world...attack its sovereign borders, whoever they are. We are a strong continent."
President-elect Donald Trump discussing military intervention at Tuesday's Mar-a-Lago press conference: "I can't assure you—you're talking about Panama and Greenland, no, I can't assure you on either of those two. But I can say this, we need them for economic security."
John Bolton, former national security adviser turned Trump critic, on CNN Tuesday: "When Trump says all this stuff publicly, particularly about not ruling out the use of force, it is pushing the democratically elected government of Greenland and the democratically elected government of Denmark into a corner. If you're the prime minister of Denmark, your NATO ally is refusing to say they're not going to attack your territory, which is what Greenland is."
Donald Trump Jr, speaking about U.S. purchasing Greenland on Sean Hannity's Fox News show Tuesday: "Not surprisingly, the Danish media has spent a long time, ever since my father started talking about this in his first administration, creating very negative views about America to try to create the narrative and create a sentiment against this from happening. But from what I saw on the ground...everyone was really into this concept. They loved it, and they love America. They love MAGA, they love Trump. It was awesome."
Greenland Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede, in a December statement: "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our year-long struggle for freedom."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, on Danish television station TV 2 on Tuesday: "[Egede] has been very, very clear—that there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either."
What Happens Next
Any further suggestion of military intervention could strain U.S. relations within NATO.
Egede has been calling for full independence from its former colonial ruler Denmark. The prime minister has suggested a Greenland independence referendum could coincide with the island's parliamentary elections in April.
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