In defiance of President-elect Donald Trump's renewed ambition to purchase Greenland, Denmark's King Frederik X has unveiled a redesigned royal coat of arms that emphasizes the nation's unyielding sovereignty over the Arctic territory, the Daily Mail reported.
Frederik ascended to the throne after Queen Margrethe II's abdication last year.
The redesign, widely seen as a response to Trump's expansionist rhetoric, replaces the traditional three crowns symbolizing Scandinavian unity with powerful, modern imagery. A larger and more aggressive Polar Bear now dominates the coat of arms, its menacing red tongue emphasizing Denmark's unwavering claim over Greenland. Accompanying the bear are muscular Nordic figures wielding heftier clubs and standing taller, conveying an unmistakable message of strength and defiance.
Royal expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen interpreted the move as a direct message to Trump.
"It is important to signal from the Danish side that Greenland and the Faroe Islands are part of the Danish realm and that this is not up for discussion," he said. "This is how you mark it."
The redesign follows Trump's repeated assertions about acquiring Greenland, which he has described as an "absolute necessity" for the U.S. His remarks, which first surfaced in 2019, resurfaced in December 2024 during a speech in which he expressed ambitions to expand U.S. territory.
Trump also floated the idea of reclaiming the Panama Canal and even suggested making Canada the 51st state.
Greenland's Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has been unequivocal in rejecting Trump's overtures, stating, "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale."
In his recent New Year's speech, Egede reiterated Greenland's aspirations for greater self-determination.
"We must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation — which we can describe as the shackles of colonialism — and move forward," he said.
The timing of the redesign of the coat of arms adds to the symbolism. The imagery of strength, sovereignty, and territorial pride is being read as a direct counter to Trump's persistence. The Polar Bear, Greenland's iconic symbol, now looms larger than ever, asserting Denmark's claim to a territory it has governed since the 14th century.
The redesign also reflects Denmark's broader message of unity among its territories, including the Faroe Islands, symbolized by a ram in the updated emblem. This unity comes amid ongoing separatist sentiments in Greenland, where calls for greater autonomy remain sensitive.
Trump's vision of acquiring Greenland has been widely criticized, with experts pointing out the legal and political complexities involved. Despite this, Trump has continued to use the language of expansion.
In a recent interview, he said, "You know, we have something nobody else has. I mean, nobody has, to the extent we have it, and it'll be more by the time we finish because I'll be able to expand, you know, we're going to expand our country."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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