Diplomatic tension between Denmark and the United States reached a boiling point over the weekend in the streets of Copenhagen. Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the US embassy to demonstrate against statements from the Donald Trump administration, which suggest strategic control or the acquisition of Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. The mobilization, held on Saturday, January 17, reflected the growing unease in Danish society over what they consider a violation of their territorial integrity. While Trump insists that the purchase of the island is a 'strategic real estate transaction,' for the Danes it is a matter of national dignity. Protesters carried banners with slogans such as 'Greenland is not for sale' and direct criticism of Washington's economic pressure on European allies. The trigger: Tariffs and sovereignty The conflict escalated after it emerged that the Trump government is considering imposing tariffs of up to 93 billion euros on European Union countries that oppose its plans in the Arctic. This strategy, unofficially dubbed the 'Doctrine Donroe,' has been deemed 'unacceptable and obsolete' by the Danish government. The government in Copenhagen has reiterated that Greenland is sovereign in deciding its future and that the island is not a commodity. Brussels is already analyzing retaliatory trade measures to protect Denmark from Washington's threats. The conflict puts the cohesion of the Atlantic Alliance at risk in a strategically important area amid Russia's advance in the North Pole. The image of protesters in front of the US diplomatic mission went around the world, becoming a symbol of European resistance to the unilateralism of the White House.
