As Donald Trump threatens Greenland with a takeover, Al Jazeera speaks to people there about their concerns.
At the start of 2026, President Donald Trump caused an international uproar by aggressively pushing for the United States to take control of Greenland – a vast, icy and sparsely inhabited autonomous Danish Arctic territory – arguing its strategic military importance and mineral resources made it essential for national security.
As Danish and Greenlandic leaders pushed back, Trump increased his rhetoric, threatening European countries that had sent a small number of troops to the island with economic tariffs.
Al Jazeera was there every step of the way; we followed the political drama that created rifts in transatlantic relations, called into question the future of modern military alliances, and saw how the threats impacted the local Inuit population, who live on the edge of the icecap.
Published On 22 Feb 2026