Trump Reaffirms US Claim Over Greenland After High-Stakes Talks With Denmark And Greenland
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated that the United States “needs” Greenland for national security purposes, insisting that Denmark cannot adequately protect the strategically located Arctic island, even after high-level talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials.
Trump made the remarks following a tense, high-stakes meeting involving US, Danish and Greenlandic representatives, a discussion that exposed deep and unresolved divisions over the future of the Danish autonomous territory.
“Greenland is very important for national security, including for Denmark,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office. “The problem is there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there’s everything we can do.”
The President added that while the issue remains contentious, “something will work out” regarding Greenland’s future governance.
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Following the meeting, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt disclosed that the United States and Denmark had agreed to establish a working group to address a wide range of issues concerning Greenland, with discussions expected to begin in the coming weeks.
However, both officials confirmed that Washington has not shifted from its position that Greenland must come under US control—an outcome they described as unacceptable and a violation of Danish sovereignty.
“We didn’t manage to change the American position,” Rasmussen said outside the Danish embassy in Washington. “It’s clear that the President has this wish of taking over Greenland.”
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark rich in minerals and strategically positioned in the Arctic, has repeatedly stated that it is not for sale. Danish and Greenlandic leaders have also warned that threats of force are reckless and undermine alliance unity.
Trump has previously refused to rule out using military force to acquire Greenland. Ahead of Wednesday’s talks, he wrote on social media that NATO would be stronger and more effective if Greenland were under US control, stating that “anything less than that is unacceptable.”
In response to mounting pressure, Denmark and Greenland announced increased military cooperation with NATO allies to strengthen Arctic defence. Late Wednesday, a Danish Air Force aircraft landed at Nuuk airport with military personnel, as part of preparations for expanded military exercises scheduled through 2026.
Germany, Sweden and Norway have also confirmed plans to deploy military personnel to Greenland in support of collective defence efforts.
Despite rejecting US claims that Greenland is surrounded by hostile forces, Rasmussen acknowledged shared concerns over Arctic security, while disputing Trump’s narrative of growing Chinese and Russian military presence in the region.
“It is not a true narrative that we have Chinese warships all around the place,” Rasmussen said.
Greenlandic leaders, meanwhile, have adjusted their diplomatic tone, placing renewed emphasis on unity with Denmark rather than independence amid the crisis.
“It’s not the time to gamble with our right to self-determination when another country is talking about taking us over,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said, stressing that Greenland currently stands with Denmark.
Trump’s renewed push for Greenland also contrasts with public opinion in the United States, where a recent poll shows strong opposition to annexing the Arctic island.