A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II takes off from RAF Lakenheath, England, in June 2025. More than half of Britons would support removing American forces from U.K. bases if the United States were to seize Greenland by military force, according to new polling. (Class Sierra Casteel/U.S. Air Force)
A new poll on how the U.K. should respond to an American military takeover of Greenland was released just a day before President Donald Trump ruled out seizing the semiautonomous Danish island by force.
More than half of the nearly 4,950 British adults surveyed Tuesday by YouGov said they would support the removal of American forces from all U.K. bases in the event of an American seizure of Greenland.
Among those supporting that course of action, 35% said they would strongly support expulsion, while 20% said they would somewhat support the move.
Less than a quarter of those polled, 22%, opposed the move to some degree, while 23% said they were undecided.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Trump denied the possibility of an armed American takeover of the island.
“I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,” Trump said.
A recent survey conducted in the United Kingdom found that 55% of those polled would support expelling the American military from British bases if the U.S. forcibly seized Greenland. (YouGov)
The United Kingdom hosts one of the largest permanent U.S. military presences in Europe, with several thousand American service members stationed there.
The vast majority are assigned to the U.S. Air Force and are primarily stationed at RAF Lakenheath, one of the largest U.S. Air Force installations in Europe, and RAF Mildenhall.
The bases allow the U.S. military to project airpower and logistical support rapidly into Europe, Africa and the Middle East, underpinning NATO’s collective defense posture.
Trump has said repeatedly that the United States must gain full control of Greenland in the interests of national security.
According to a separate YouGov survey also published Tuesday, just 5% of Britons believe Europe should accept U.S. control of Greenland and consider the matter settled.
Nonmilitary responses to such action garnered the greatest support among those surveyed, with 33% saying Europe should attempt to persuade the U.S. through diplomatic means to leave if Greenland were seized militarily. Meanwhile, 30% supported imposing economic retaliation against Washington in that scenario.
Only 14% of British respondents said Europe should respond with force if the United States seized Greenland militarily.