A storm is brewing in the Arctic. The US consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, has become the focal point of a new wave of protests. The message from demonstrators is stark: ‘no means no’. This is not just about a diplomatic mission. It is about sovereignty. It is about the creeping influence of Washington in a territory that belongs to Denmark.
The protests erupted after leaked cables suggested the Trump administration was exploring ‘options’ to increase American presence on the island. Greenland is autonomous, but Copenhagen holds the keys to foreign policy. The Danes are furious. The British government has wasted no time. A Foreign Office source told me: ‘We stand squarely with our Danish allies. Greenland’s future is for Greenlanders and Danes to decide.’
This is a delicate dance. The US is our closest ally. But so is Denmark. And this is a matter of principle. No one likes being strong-armed. The protestors outside the consulate are a mix of Greenlanders and Danes. They hold placards with the slogan that has become a rallying cry: ‘No means no’. It is a reference to the US purchase of the Danish West Indies in 1917. A deal done without a referendum. That history still stings.
Inside Westminster, the mood is uneasy. The Foreign Affairs Committee is demanding answers. Labour MP Alison McGovern told me: ‘We cannot have the US treating our allies like this. The UK must use its influence in Washington to call a halt.’ Downing Street is tight-lipped. But I hear the PM has spoken to Prime Minister Frederiksen. The message was firm: ‘We’ve got your back.’
But what can the UK actually do? Not much. This is a bilateral spat. But symbols matter. The British ambassador in Copenhagen has been instructed to attend a solidarity rally. And the Royal Navy has a patrol vessel in the North Atlantic. Could it make a port call in Nuuk? That would be a clear signal.
The ‘no means no’ protests are spreading. There are rumblings in the Faroe Islands. And in London, the Greenlandic diaspora is organising. This is becoming a test of the Special Relationship. Can Britain side with a smaller ally over the US? The answer, for now, is yes. But the pressure will mount. The US State Department has called the protests ‘unfounded’. The Danish foreign minister has called them ‘understandable’.
Behind the scenes, Whitehall is working the phones. They are trying to de-escalate. But the damage may be done. The optics are terrible. A superpower pushing around a small nation. The UK is picking a side. And it is not the side of the US. For now. The game is afoot. Watch the polls. Watch the cables. This story has legs.
