Mr. Trump 'Bargains' with Allies to Seize Greenland

President Donald Trump of the United States continues to emphasize that Washington needs Greenland for security reasons, despite strong opposition from Denmark and Greenland following high-level meetings at the White House. According to Reuters, on January 14(local time), immediately after an important meeting between the US Vice President and the Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Greenland, President Trump reaffirmed that the US needs Greenland. Speaking to the press in the White House Oval Office, Mr. Trump argued that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from threats posed by US rival superpowers. He said, “there will be a way to resolve” the future governance of the autonomous territory under Denmark. “Greenland is very important to the national security of the US and Denmark. The issue is that if other superpowers want to take Greenland, Denmark can’t do anything, but we can. Recently, you’ve seen how reality is playing out,” Mr. Trump said. On social media platform Truth Social, President Trump asserted: “The US needs Greenland for national security purposes. Greenland is vital to the Vòm Vàng system we are building. NATO should lead the effort to help us acquire this island.” Mr. Trump’s statements reveal fundamental differences, even irreconcilable, in how Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk view the political future of the island. After the meeting, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt announced that the US and Denmark will establish a working group to discuss various issues related to Greenland, with meetings expected to take place in the coming weeks. However, both foreign ministers also shared that Washington has not changed its stance that the US must gain control of Greenland. Mr. Rasmussen and Ms. Motzfeldt called this an unacceptable violation of sovereignty. “We cannot change the US position. Clearly, President Trump wants to conquer Greenland,” Mr. Rasmussen told reporters outside the Danish Embassy in Washington after the meeting concluded. Before the approximately two-hour meeting, Mr. Trump wrote on social media that NATO would become much stronger and more effective if Greenland “was in the hands” of the US. “Any option less than this outcome is unacceptable,” Mr. Trump wrote. In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has repeatedly reiterated that controlling Greenland is an urgent national security requirement for the US, emphasizing that Denmark is not capable of preventing the influence of US rival superpowers in the Arctic region. Nevertheless, Greenland and Denmark have stated that the island is not for sale, and consider threats of force to be reckless. Several key European Union countries have voiced support for Denmark, a NATO member. On the eve of the meeting, Greenland and Denmark announced they had begun increasing military presence in Greenland with close coordination with NATO allies to strengthen defense capabilities. According to the Danish Ministry of Defense, this plan includes numerous military exercises scheduled throughout 2026. At the press conference, Mr. Rasmussen and Ms. Motzfeldt described the meeting as respectful. Analysts see this as an opportunity for Copenhagen and Nuuk to de-escalate tensions and seek diplomatic avenues to meet US demands for increased control over Greenland. Initially, Denmark and Greenland wanted to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in hopes that high-level diplomats from the three sides would find a way to resolve the NATO alliance crisis. However, Mr. Rasmussen said Vice President Vance also wanted to attend the meeting, and it was Mr. Vance who chaired the meeting at the White House. European diplomats reported that for many months, the White House had ignored Denmark’s efforts to approach the US for high-level talks about Greenland. The January 14meeting was the first time senior US and Danish officials met directly to discuss this issue. Greenland’s leadership appears to be adjusting its approach to handling the diplomatic crisis. Previously, Greenland emphasized a path toward independence from Denmark, but recently, statements from Greenland have focused on strengthening ties with Denmark. “This is not the time to gamble with our sovereignty, when another country is talking about taking over us. That doesn’t mean we’re not thinking about the future. But at this moment, we are part of Denmark and stand with Denmark,” Greenland’s Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen told the newspaper Sermitsiaq in an interview on January 14. Mr. Trump’s desire for Greenland contrasts with the views of the American public. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, only 17% of Americans support Mr. Trump’s effort to gain control of Greenland. Most voters from both the Democratic and Republican parties oppose the use of force to annex the island.