President Donald Trump is pressing his case that the United States must control Greenland for national security reasons, and he is refusing to take any options off the table. Denmark and Greenland are responding with a firm no, warning that U.S. ownership is unacceptable even as they agree to keep talking.
The comments came as European allies began moving troops into Greenland at Denmark’s request for joint exercises.
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The clash played out Wednesday in Washington, where senior officials from Denmark and Greenland met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a high-stakes attempt to lower the temperature.
It didn’t work.
Hours before the meeting, Trump reignited the issue with a blunt post on Truth Social, declaring that “the United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security” and tying the Arctic island to his proposed Golden Dome missile defense system. He warned that if Washington does not take control, Russia or China will.
“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
After the meeting, Trump made clear he isn’t backing off.
“I’m not going to give up options,” he told reporters. “Greenland is very important for national security, including of Denmark.”
He went further, openly questioning Denmark’s ability to defend the territory.
“It’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland,” Trump said, adding that recent Danish security steps, including the deployment of additional dog sled patrols, wouldn’t be enough. “That’s not going to do the trick.”
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In 1946, the U.S. secretly offered to buy Greenland for $100 million in gold and the rights to a patch of Alaskan oil.
A ‘fundamental disagreement’
Denmark and Greenland rejected Trump’s framing almost immediately.
Speaking outside the Danish Embassy in Washington, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described the talks as “frank” and “constructive” but said they ended with no shift in the American position.
“We therefore still have a fundamental disagreement,” Rasmussen said. “Ideas that would not respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of self-determination of the Greenlandic people are, of course, totally unacceptable.”
Rasmussen emphasized that Denmark believes Greenland’s security can be handled within existing arrangements, including NATO and the 1951 U.S.-Denmark defense agreement.
“The long-term security of Greenland can be ensured inside the current framework,” he said.
Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, struck a similar tone. She stressed the importance of close cooperation with Washington while drawing a hard line on sovereignty.
“It’s very important to say it again how important it is from all sides to strengthen our cooperation with the United States,” Motzfeldt said. “But that doesn’t mean that we want to be owned by the United States.”
“As allies, how we can strengthen our cooperation is in our interest,” she added.
Talks continue, lines remain
Despite the sharp disagreement, the three sides agreed to form a high-level working group to continue discussions.
Rasmussen said the goal is to see whether the president’s security concerns can be addressed without crossing Denmark’s red lines.
“We agreed to disagree,” he said. “We will, however, continue to talk.”
Rasmussen also acknowledged that Trump’s broader concern about the Arctic isn’t entirely misplaced.
“There is definitely a new security situation in the Arctic and the High North,” he said, pointing to growing geopolitical competition as climate change opens new routes and opportunities.
But he rejected the idea that U.S. ownership of Greenland is necessary to respond to that shift.
“The big difference is whether that must lead to a situation where the U.S. acquires Greenland,” Rasmussen said. “That is absolutely not necessary.”
Protests and pressure
Outside the diplomatic rooms, the issue spilled into the streets.
Demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, waving Danish and Greenlandic flags and chanting in defense of Greenland’s sovereignty. The protests underscored how sensitive the issue has become across Europe, where Trump’s rhetoric has raised alarms about alliance stability.
In an apparent response to U.S. pressure, Denmark and Greenland announced plans to expand military activity in and around Greenland in cooperation with NATO allies. Danish officials said the move is aimed at strengthening Arctic readiness, not changing Greenland’s political status.
That response is now expanding beyond Denmark.
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Sweden and Norway are sending troops to Greenland, joining joint NATO exercises requested by Copenhagen. France is also participating. In a post on X, President Emmanuel Macron said the first French military elements are already en route, with more to follow as part of Operation Arctic Endurance.
The deployments are being framed by European leaders as a show of collective defense, a direct answer to claims that Denmark and its allies can’t secure the Arctic territory.
Trump, however, remains unmoved.
Pressed again after the meetings, he offered no assurances that force is off the table.
“You don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said.
