Trump’s Greenland Threat Fails to Prove Decisive in Iceland EU Vote

Trump’s threat to annex Greenland was not enough to convince skeptical Icelanders to try to join the EU again.

Boats are docked in the old harbour, ahead of a referendum on whether Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the European Union, in Reykjavik, Iceland, August 28, 2026. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger 30 Aug 2026 01:51PM REYKJAVIK, Iceland: The "no" camp moved ahead early on Sunday (Aug 30) in partial results of Ice

President Donald Trump's push to acquire Greenland added a new security dimension to Iceland's EU referendum, with 275,000 eligible voters weighing in.

About 265,000 Icelanders are eligible to vote in a referendum on whether to trigger European Union membership talks. Supporters say membership could offer stability and protection against possible threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, while opponents say it's unnecessary and could endanger rich fishing stocks.

Some supporters believe the European Union could offer protections if Trump ever made similar threats against Iceland. But opponents are not happy that EU membership could jeopardize Iceland’s rich fishing stocks.

Trump's Greenland Threats Cast A Shadow On Iceland's Vote On Whether To Trigger EU Membership Talks  HuffPost

Icelanders go to the polls on Saturday in a referendum on whether to resume membership negotiations with the European Union, in a tight race that will be closely watched in Brussels. The country of just under 400,000 people applied to join the EU in the wake of a 2009 financial crisis that devastated its economy.

Voters in Iceland are heading to the polls to decide whether the country should resume long-stalled negotiations on becoming a member of the European Union and they are doing so in the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats on nearby Greenland

Trump's Greenland threats cast a shadow on Iceland's vote on whether to trigger EU membership talks  AP News

Trump’s push to acquire Greenland and growing uncertainty over U.S. security commitments have added a geopolitical dimension to Iceland’s EU debate.