Hundreds of Greenlanders demonstrated outside a new U.S. consulate in Nuuk on Friday, protesting President Donald Trump’s push for greater American influence over the Arctic territory. Protesters chanted that Greenland belongs to Greenlanders and carried signs reading USA, stop it, while some turned their backs toward the building in silence.
The consulate moved from a small wooden cabin on the outskirts of Nuuk to a 3,000-square-meter downtown office, a relocation many residents viewed as a symbol of expanding U.S. ambitions. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and several other politicians declined invitations to attend the opening ceremony.
The protest capped a week that included the first visit of Jeff Landry, the Louisiana governor appointed as Trump’s special envoy to Greenland. Landry traveled without an official invitation while a working group seeks to resolve tensions over Trump’s stated interest in acquiring the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Landry said it was time for the U.S. to put its footprint back on Greenland.
Trump has cited Greenland’s strategic importance for U.S. national security. Denmark maintains sovereignty over the island. A White House spokesperson said the United States is optimistic about addressing security interests through ongoing talks. Washington is seeking a greater military presence, but no agreement has been reached.
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Sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/5/22/headlines