Trump’s Greenland rhetoric sparks nuclear debate inside Germany

A lawmaker from Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has called on the country to acquire nuclear weapons, arguing that Europe can no longer rely on the United States for its security in light of President Donald Trump’s ambitions regarding Greenland.

Kai Gottschalk, a member of the Bundestag, made the remarks in a video posted on his account on X, Caliber.Az reports.

Deutschland braucht Atomwaffen. pic.twitter.com/EYchUejPMy

— Kay Gottschalk (@gottschalkmdb) January 18, 2026

He said recent developments surrounding Greenland had demonstrated that relations between states are driven by interests rather than friendship, and that US interests now sharply diverge from those of the European Union.

“Precisely for this reason, we must take the defence and security of Europe into our own hands,” Gottschalk said. He argued that Europe needs a strong military, well-trained soldiers and modern weaponry to ensure that any attack on European countries would be futile.

Gottschalk acknowledged that creating a unified European defence alliance would be extremely difficult because of political disagreements and historical divisions among European states. Nevertheless, he described such an effort as “the only path from dependence to strategic sovereignty”.

The comments come amid growing unease in Europe over statements by Trump concerning Greenland. 

On January 17, Greenlandic organisations mobilised thousands of demonstrators across Denmark and Greenland to protest Trump’s statements about taking control of the Arctic island, framing the rallies as a defence of democracy and self-determination.

Protests were held in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Odense, with marchers chanting “Greenland is not for sale” and heading toward the U.S. Embassy. A demonstration in Nuuk was scheduled for later in the day. Organisers said the rallies were peaceful and timed to coincide with a visit by U.S. senators to Denmark.

Trump has repeatedly argued Greenland is vital to U.S. security and has not ruled out coercive measures, triggering a diplomatic crisis with Denmark. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Danish kingdom, and the protests come as Denmark and European allies move to strengthen their military presence in the region.

 By Aghakazim Guliyev