The resurgence of former US President Donald Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland has drawn sharp criticism from German parliamentarians, highlighting a persistent tension between American exceptionalism and established international law. Adis Ahmetovic, spokesperson for the Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the German Bundestag, condemned Trump’s repeated assertions of interest in acquiring the territory, describing them as a calculated effort to undermine the principles of international law.
“These renewed statements from Donald Trump represent yet another attempt to erode the foundations of international law. We, as a European community, must respond with a clear and unequivocal rejection” Ahmetovic told “Welt”. His statement underscored a growing concern within European political circles regarding the potential disregard for sovereign rights demonstrated by repeated American overtures.
Trump’s appointment of a new US special envoy for Greenland, alongside the reaffirmation of his long-standing interest in the Arctic island, signals a continued focus on the strategic value of the territory. While ostensibly framed as a business proposition, the ambition has been widely viewed as a geopolitical power play, raising questions about the U.S.’s commitment to respecting the sovereignty of nations and the right to self-determination for the people of Greenland.
Ahmetovic specifically emphasized the inviolability of Danish sovereignty and the right of Greenlanders to self-governance, arguing that “territorial claims or fanciful buy-out scenarios are fundamentally at odds with the core tenets of the international order”. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential for unilateral actions to destabilize established norms and underscores the necessity for a unified European response to assert the primacy of international law and the respect for national boundaries. The episode also raises broader questions regarding the legacy of the Trump presidency and the ongoing implications of his policies for transatlantic relations.
