Denmark and US Encounter Tensions Over Greenland During White House Talks

Thu Jan 15 2026 13:34:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Denmark's foreign minister expressed a 'fundamental disagreement' following talks with US officials, reaffirming Greenland's autonomy amidst Trump’s persistent interest in the territory.

Following a meeting at the White House, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen revealed significant tensions with the US over Greenland, emphasizing a 'fundamental disagreement' regarding Trump's interest in acquiring the territory. Despite constructive discussions, Denmark firmly rejected any notion of 'conquering' Greenland. The talks concluded without breakthrough, yet initiated plans for a high-level working group to address future cooperation. Greenland and Denmark continue to maintain their autonomy while exploring the potential for military collaboration with the US to enhance security against Russian and Chinese interests in the Arctic.

Denmark's foreign minister has stated there is a fundamental disagreement with the US over Greenland following recent discussions at the White House.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen characterized the meeting with Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as frank but constructive. However, he underscored the Danish stance against US President Trump's desire to conquer Greenland, labeling such an ambition as totally unacceptable.

We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of [Denmark], he expressed, amidst growing European ally concerns regarding US actions.

In the aftermath of the talks, Trump reiterated his interest in acquiring the resource-rich island, igniting unease among European allies over potential tensions with NATO.

The hour-long discussions yielded no major breakthroughs but resulted in an agreement to establish a high-level working group aimed at deliberating the future of the semi-autonomous territory.

Rasmussen noted the existence of red lines the US could not breach, emphasizing that Denmark and Greenland remain open to the idea of the US authorizing additional military bases on the island.

While acknowledging an element of truth in Trump's assertion regarding the need for enhanced security against Russian and Chinese interests, he disputed the president's claims about the presence of foreign warships around Greenland.

Notably, the hour-long meeting did not facilitate a significant resolution, but did initiate plans for ongoing discussions. Subsequently, Rasmussen articulated that discussions at this level were a productive start.

Despite Denmark's collaboration, there are clear limits on Greenland's oversight as expressed by Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, who mentioned the territory's openness for more cooperation with the US but reiterated opposition to any takeover attempts.

Commenting on the importance of Greenland’s location, Trump stated that its acquisition is critical for US national security and missile defense systems, a point he further emphasized in a social media post, insisting that NATO needs to lead in matters concerning Greenland.

Concurrent to this, European allies demonstrated rapid support for Greenland, with Sweden pledging military aid and Germany preparing to deploy a reconnaissance team to assess potential military contributions to bolster Denmark’s security.

As geopolitical tensions escalate in the Arctic, discussions in the White House exemplify a broader dialogue over Trump’s intentions regarding Greenland, which raises numerous uncertainties about the future.