Donald Trump has been warned that if he orders a military invasion of Greenland, “it would be a war, and we would be fighting against each other.” The stark warning was issued by Danish MP Rasmus Jarlov, who spoke to CNN’s Jim Sciutto. 

“We will of course defend Greenland. If there is an invasion by American troops, it would be a war and we would be fighting against each other. We know the Americans are stronger than us, and you have a much stronger military than us, but it is our duty to defend our land and our people and the 57,000 people who lives in Greenland who have made it absolutely crystal clear that they do not want to be taken by the United States, we have an obligation to fight for those people and our forces will do that,” Jarlov said.

During the same interview, he also said Greenland is not threatened by the Chinese or the Russians as “we have kept them out”. Jarlov also said the US already have access to Greenland and if they annex it “the only thing you will get is more expenses”.

“You would have to run the country, you would have a population that would never recognise you are on their land, and you would have to do all the things without all the money Denmark is paying,” he also added.

Jarlov added Denmark has invested around $14 billion dollars in Greenland on satellites, troops on the grounds, helicopters. “Why would you want to take over that expense? Why not work together with us when the door is wide open?”

Addressing the US, Jarlov previously also said: “We’ve been your friend for 250 years, and this is not you. This is not a country that attacks and threatens peaceful, friendly neighbours. You’re a country that stands for freedom.

“You’re not a country that subjugates neighbours and goes to wars of conquest to take land from other countries. You work together with your allies. You’re a country that can be trusted, not one that suddenly turns on its allies, and runs away from treaties, and says all of a sudden that there’s no document that proves Greenland belongs to Denmark. We don’t recognise you at the moment.”

Meanwhile, the Danish military said the additional soldiers have arrived in Greenland. Soldiers arrived on Friday, January 16, to form part of the defense force’s increased presence in Greenland.

The troops, together with NATO allies, will participate in various exercises. They will participate alongside troops from Germany, Sweden, Norway, France, Finland, the Netherlands and Great Britain, some of the US’s closest allies.

The military said in the X post on Friday that Denmark will maintain an increased presence in Greenland in 2026.