Trump's post of image suggesting US control over Greenland disrespectful

U.S. President Donald Trump's post of an image suggesting U.S. control over Greenland is disrespectful, said Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

"We, of course, follow what is happening on social media, and it is not respectful," Nielsen said at a press conference in Nuuk, Greenland's capital. "We want dialogue through the proper channels, so that it does not take place in the press and on social media," he added.

Trump posted an image of himself placing the U.S. flag on the territory of Greenland on Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social.

In the image, Trump is accompanied by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with a sign nearby reading "GREENLAND - US TERRITORY EST. 2026."

Nielsen reiterated that Greenland must be prepared for all possibilities, as Trump has not ruled out the use of force.

He emphasized once again that Greenland is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and that any military operation would have far-reaching consequences beyond Greenland's borders.

Amid the increasing tensions in the Arctic, "there is no doubt that we need to have a larger military presence," Nielsen said.

Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday that her country will not negotiate over its sovereignty, responding to U.S. threats of tariffs in a dispute over Greenland.

Frederiksen noted that Denmark has never sought any conflicts. However, Denmark is now being threatened by its closest ally, both in terms of Danish territory and Greenlandic self-determination, she told the parliament.

On the tariffs the United States has threatened to impose, Frederiksen said a trade war would cost jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. "As much as we must warn against it, we must also prepare for it," she said.

In a social media post over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose a 10-percent tariff from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing his ambition to control Greenland. He warned the tariff rate would rise to 25 percent on June 1 and remain in place until a deal is reached for the "complete and total purchase" of Greenland.

The remarks have intensified a backlash that has been building across Europe. EU leaders will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to address the tensions, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said Monday. EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the bloc could renew a pending tariff package or deploy anti-coercion measures.