Protests erupted in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, on Thursday as the United States opened a larger diplomatic hub, highlighting local opposition to President Donald Trump’s ambitions for greater American influence on the Arctic island.
The new consulate, relocated from a wooden cabin on the outskirts of Nuuk to a larger downtown office, became the focus of demonstrations by Greenlanders unhappy with Trump’s previously stated desire to control the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Several hundred people gathered outside the building carrying Greenland’s red-and-white flags, holding signs reading “USA, stop it,” and chanting “No means no” and “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and several other politicians declined invitations to attend the opening ceremony.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the new venue would provide greater capacity for diplomatic engagement in Greenland.
Earlier this year, the White House said Trump was considering ways to acquire Greenland, including the possible use of military force, although discussions have since shifted onto a diplomatic track.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Kenneth Howery said Greenlanders would determine their own future, adding that the United States would remain “allies and partners.”
Trump has repeatedly described Greenland as strategically important for countering Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. The United States currently operates one active military base on the island.
