There were growing concerns on Sunday night that Donald Trump could target other nations – including Greenland – to assert ‘American dominance’.
The US President suggested Colombia, Cuba and Mexico were also in his sights following his capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
‘We absolutely need Greenland – we need it for defence,’ Mr Trump told The Atlantic magazine, adding that the Danish territory – a member of Nato – was ‘surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships’.
It came as the wife of a Trump official tweeted an image of Greenland coloured like the US flag and the word ‘Soon’.
Katie Miller, the wife of the President’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted the provocative image hours after the US had invaded Venezuela.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said: ‘It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland. The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.
‘The Kingdom of Denmark – and thus Greenland – is a member of NATO and is therefore covered by the Alliance’s collective security guarantee.
We already have a defence agreement between the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States that grants the U.S. broad access to Greenland. In addition, the Kingdom has made significant investments in security in the Arctic.
A burnt missile interceptor vehicle is seen at La Carlota air base in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a ‘large scale strike’ on the South American country
‘I therefore strongly urge the US to cease its threats against a historically close ally, and against another country and another people who have stated very clearly that they are not for sale’
Mr Trump said the raid that led to Maduro’s abduction was an update to the ‘Monroe Doctrine’.
The declaration, made in 1823 by US president James Monroe, said the America would not meddle in European affairs in exchange for European powers staying out of the New World. Mr Trump announced a new ‘Don-roe Doctrine’ era.
Despite international condemnation to the rendition, Mr Trump suggested that other nations, including Colombia, Cuba and Mexico, were on notice.
‘I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about, because Cuba is a failing nation right now, and we want to help the people,’ he said.
‘That system has not been a very good one for Cuba.’ Former president Joe Biden removed Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism last year, but Mr Trump reinstated the designation within his first days in office and reapplied sanctions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban refugees who fled during the nation’s communist revolution, added to warnings that its leaders should be worried.
‘Suffice it to say, Cuba is a disaster,’ he said. ‘It’s run by incompetent, senile men. If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned.’
The US President suggested Colombia, Cuba and Mexico were also in his sights following his capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro
Cuba released its own statement, warning: ‘All nations of the region must remain alert, as the threat hangs over all.’
Mr Trump also spoke out against Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro, saying, ‘He has cocaine mills. He has factories where he makes cocaine.’ He said the drug was being sent to the US, and warned that Mr Petro should ‘watch his ass’.
Mr Petro condemned the attack on Venezuela as an aggression against all of South America and announced the mobilisation of troops along the border to halt a possible flood of refugees
Meanwhile, during a phone interview with Fox News, Mr Trump said that ‘something will have to be done about Mexico’.
‘American dominance in the Western hemisphere will never be questioned again,’ he said.
