Canada set to open a consulate in Greenland to oppose Trump’s takeover wish

Canada is set to open a consulate in Greenland, signaling stronger diplomatic ties as President Donald Trump pursues his bid to acquire the Arctic island.

The consulate is being opened in Nuuk, the capital of the Danish territory, on Friday, though it had been in the works for over a year. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon, King Charles III’s envoy in Canada, is in town for the event.

“I have been working with Denmark and Greenland for many, many years,” Simon told Politico. “We understand each other, and it’s important to talk about the lessons learned in each of our countries.”

Avaaraq Olsen, the mayor of Nuuk, said she was grateful for the show of support.

“It’s really important for us to know that we are not alone in this, that we actually have people from other countries who care about us,” Olsen said. “People are scared and they are more and more concerned. Because of Trump’s statements, they get very worse and worse.”

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The unveiling of Canada’s diplomatic outpost comes during a period of heightened tension between the Trump administration and Greenland, Denmark and other NATO allies.

In recent months, the 79-year-old Republican president has repeatedly called for Greenland to be part of the United States — a bid for territorial expansion that would rival the Louisiana Purchase.

The White House previously refused to rule out the use of military force in acquiring the island, which is home to some 50,000 inhabitants.

“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on January 14. “NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable.”

The leaders of Greenland and Denmark — as well as the heads of other NATO nations — have strongly opposed the president’s aggressive posturing. Some compared it to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war of conquest in Ukraine, while others said it threatens to unravel the U.S.-led alliance that has been in place since World War II.

"Greenland is today a part of the kingdom of Denmark. It is part of our territory, and it's not for sale," Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen said earlier this month.

Polls show that Trump’s plans for Greenland are unpopular. Fifty-eight percent of Americans oppose a U.S. takeover of the island, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. And 85 percent of Greenlanders do not want to be incorporated into the U.S., according to a poll commissioned last year by the Danish newspaper Berlingske.

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Trump’s tone, however, appears to have softened following his late January trip to Davos, Switzerland — during which he appeared to repeatedly confuse Greenland with Iceland while addressing world leaders.

“Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region,” Trump wrote on social media on January 21.

He added that, because of the meeting, he will not impose retaliatory tariffs on European allies. Earlier in January, he had said he was slapping a 10 percent tariff on eight E.U. nations due to their opposition to American control of Greenland.

“Further information will be made available as discussions progress,” Trump said.

While tensions appear to have eased for the moment, the impact of Trump’s Greenland bid may be long-lasting.

“We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn't mourn it,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a speech at Davos last month. He appealed to “middle powers” to work together to safeguard their interests against the dominance of superpower nations.

“Canada was amongst the first to hear the wake-up call, leading us to fundamentally shift our strategic posture,” he said.