Donald Trump has taken a swipe at Europe by posting an image of him gazing out of a White House window at a map of Greenland.
The official White House account took to Instagram on Monday night to upload an edited image of what was originally the US President looking out at the construction site of his future ballroom.
The revised image, however, swapped out the building works for a map of Greenland alongside the caption ‘Monitoring the situation’, just hours after Trump insisted the US would take control of the territory ‘one way or another’.
It comes after Trump confirmed that he wants to make a deal with Greenland, as it will be ‘easier’ than taking control of the Arctic territory through military means – warning that if the US does not make a move, Russia or China will.
He then doubled down on his demand for control, claiming the takeover would happen, even if it strains relationships with NATO and upsets the military alliance.
‘If it affects NATO, then it affects NATO,’ Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. ‘But, you know, they need us much more than we need them, I will tell you that right now.’
The president said that ‘Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over,’ adding that the territory would benefit from closer ties with the US, particularly when it comes to defence.
‘Greenland, basically their defense is two dogsleds,’ he continued. ‘In the meantime, you have Russian destroyers and submarines, and China destroyers and submarines all over the place. We’re not gonna let that happen.’
The White House uploaded an edited image of Donald Trump looking out of a window at a map of Greenland
The original image shows Trump looking towards the site of the demolished East Wing of the White House, the future site of his ballroom, as he attended a meeting with oil industry executives, at the White House, January 9, 2026
The construction of US President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom continues in Washington DC, January 12, 2026
Trump provided no evidence to back up his claims that Russian and Chinese vessels are operating near Greenland – something that Denmark disputes.
Responding to Trump’s claims that the US needed to own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying it in the future, Beijing said the United States should not use other countries as an excuse to advance its own strategic interests.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said: ‘The Arctic concerns the overall interests of the international community,’ adding that China’s activities in the Arctic aim to promote stability and sustainable development in the region.
Mao also said that all countries’ rights and freedoms to operate lawfully in the Arctic should be respected.
In a separate exchange with reporters on board, Trump made clear he sees US control of Greenland as inevitable.
‘If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will. And I’m not going to let that happen… One way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland,’ he said.
When a reporter followed up asking if it is ‘Okay if that compromises NATO?’, Trump acknowledged the blowback could be real, but suggested the alliance itself might be expendable.
‘Maybe NATO would be upset if I did it… we’d save a lot of money. I like NATO. I just wonder whether or not if needed NATO would they be there for us? I’m not sure they would,’ Trump said.
In reality, NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause, treating an attack on one member as an attack on all, has been invoked only once, after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, when allies joined Washington in Afghanistan.
On Sunday night, Trump again insisted that US acquisition of Greenland is a national security necessity.
It comes as the mayor of Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk, told of her dread of the day that American warships appear on the horizon.
Avaaraq Olsen added that there were rising concerns and distress due to the ‘fake news’ being spread by Trump and his team.
In a statement shared by The Mirror, she said: ‘To Donald Trump I would say I don’t want him here… I really do think that they have to stop lying about Greenland… like when he said that we have Russian and Chinese ships surrounding Greenland.
‘That kind of statement is also hurting people in Greenland. Really the lying has to stop.’
Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, is defended by Denmark, whose military is far smaller than that of the United States.
The US already operates a military base on the island. Danish officials have warned that any attempt to seize Greenland would threaten NATO itself.
Trump brushed off NATO backlash as he doubled down on his push to take control of Greenland. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump warned that Russia or China would move in
Despite global backlash and Greenland’s opposition, Trump declared US control of the Arctic territory inevitable
Trump dismissed that argument, portraying himself as a defender rather than a threat to the alliance, citing his pressure on member states to increase defense spending.
NATO member countries are now discussing the next steps on how to collectively keep the Arctic safe, alliance chief Mark Rutte said on Monday.
‘We are working on the next steps to make sure that indeed, we collectively protect what is at stake here,’ Mr Rutte said while visiting Zagreb, Croatia.
‘All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security,’ he added.
‘With sea lanes opening up, there is a risk that the Russians and the Chinese will be more active.’
He said talks on Arctic security started last year and member countries were now looking at ‘how to make sure that we give practical follow-up on those discussions’.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Sunday that her country faces a ‘decisive moment’ in its standoff with Washington.
‘There is a conflict over Greenland,’ Frederiksen said during a debate with other Danish political leaders, adding that the stakes extend far beyond the island itself.
In a Facebook post, Frederiksen said Denmark is prepared to defend its principles.
‘We are ready to defend our values – wherever it is necessary – also in the Arctic. We believe in international law and in peoples’ right to self-determination,’ she wrote.
US secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to hold talks with Denmark about Greenland at White House on Wednesday.
The UK is also believed to be in discussions with other NATO countries to send British troops to Greenland to deter ‘Russian aggression’.
On Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer told Trump in a call that ‘more could be done to protect’ the Arctic region and agreed with the president on the ‘need to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia in the High North’.
Germany has also confirmed talks are underway in NATO to bolster security in the Arctic.
White House officials have floated the idea of purchasing the territory instead of taking it by force, and Reuters reported on Thursday that they are exploring the possibility of offering payments directly to Greenlanders to encourage them to break away from Denmark and possibly align with the United States.
