Greenland’s Legal Status in International Law: Beyond Contemporary Geopolitical Dynamics Amid President Trump’s Vision

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract In early 2026, renewed geopolitical attention was given to Greenland after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to purchase and annex the island, citing national security concerns and the strategic value of its natural resources. Greenland currently operates under a self-government arrangement that grants it extensive autonomy while it remains under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Initial proposals to purchase the territory were firmly rejected by Greenlandic and Danish authorities, who emphasized that Greenland’s future should be determined by its people. However, escalating rhetoric from the U.S. administration, including suggestions of alternative means, including the threat to use force, to acquire the territory, has reignited debate about the tension between geopolitical ambitions and the principles of the international legal order. The following paper examines Greenland’s legal status under international law. It argues that, despite shifting geopolitical pressures, the island’s status is ultimately determined by its people’s right to self-determination within Denmark’s existing sovereignty framework, thereby rendering President Trump’s intention to change the ownership title contrary to the rule-based order under international law.