Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The link between Greenland and Denmark can be traced back more than a Millennium.
The Trump Administration is continuing to say, that Greenland should be part of the U.S. because of national security.
In a recent interview with CNN, White House deputy chief of staff and Homeland Security Advisor, Stephen Miller, said that “obviously, Greenland should be part of the U.S.”.
Prior to that statement, Miller questioned Denmarks claim over Greenland:
“The real question is: On what basis does Denmark claim control of Greenland? What is the basis of its territorial claims?” he said according to AP
Donald Trump has also previously questioned the Danish claim to Greenland.
“You know, Denmark’s very far away, and really has nothing to do. What happens? A boat landed there 200 years ago or something? And they say they have rights to it. I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think it is,” he said in March 2025 during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Indy100 reported at the time.
So why IS Greenland part of the Kingdom of Denmark?
More than a 1000 Years
Greenland’s relationship with Denmark stretches back more than a millennium, beginning with Norse exploration and settlement and evolving through centuries of colonial rule, geopolitical change, and modern self-government within the Danish Realm.
The story starts around the year 985, when Norse settlers led by Erik the Red sailed west from Iceland and established communities along Greenland’s southwestern coast. These settlements, known today as the Eastern and Western Settlements, were part of the wider Norse world that also included Iceland and, crucially, the Kingdom of Norway
Cultural, economic and political links
For several centuries, Greenland was linked culturally, economically, and politically to Scandinavia, with Christianity formally introduced in the early 11th century and a bishopric established at Garðar.
By the 13th century, Greenland had come under the Norwegian crown. In 1261, the Norse inhabitants pledged allegiance to the King of Norway, making Greenland a Norwegian possession.
When Denmark and Norway entered into a dynastic union in 1380, Greenland followed Norway into that union. From that point on, Greenland was governed indirectly from Copenhagen (Capital of Denmark), even as contact with the original Norse settlements faded and they eventually disappeared in the 15th century.
300 years later
Modern Danish involvement in Greenland resumed in the early 18th century. In 1721, the missionary Hans Egede arrived in Greenland with the backing of the Danish-Norwegian crown, seeking both to re-establish Christianity and to assert sovereignty.
From then on, Greenland was administered as a colony, primarily focused on trade, missionary work, and later scientific exploration.
When Denmark and Norway separated in 1814 following the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark retained Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands under the Treaty of Kiel.
Internationally recognized
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Denmark consolidated its control over Greenland, while other powers showed growing interest in the Arctic.
Danish sovereignty was internationally recognized in 1933, when the Permanent Court of International Justice ruled in Denmark’s favor in a dispute with Norway over eastern Greenland. This decision helped cement Greenland’s status as part of the Danish state in international law.
Greenland’s position within the Kingdom of Denmark changed significantly after the Second World War. In 1953, Greenland ceased to be a colony and was formally integrated into Denmark as a county, granting Greenlanders Danish citizenship. Over time, demands for greater autonomy grew, leading to the introduction of Home Rule in 1979 and Self-Government in 2009.
These arrangements transferred many areas of responsibility to Greenlandic authorities, including control over natural resources, while Denmark retained authority over foreign policy, defense, and monetary affairs.
Today, Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, reflecting both its deep historical ties to the Danish crown and the modern principle of self-determination.
Sources: CNN, Indy100, AP, Permanent Court of International Justice (1933 Eastern Greenland case), Danish National Museum
