Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance met at the White House on Wednesday with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt amid continuing threats from President Donald Trump regarding Greenland — a vast and sparsely populated autonomous territory belonging to NATO ally Denmark.
Before the discussions, Trump insisted that NATO should support the United States’ push to take control of Greenland, arguing that it was necessary for his proposed Golden Dome air and missile defense system.
“NATO becomes much more formidable and effective when Greenland is in US hands. Anything less than that is unacceptable,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“If WE don’t do it, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!” Trump added.
Greenland Row: The Best Takeaways
- Rasmussen and Motzfeldt announced that the United States and Denmark will form a working group to address a wide range of issues related to Greenland. The group is expected to meet in the coming weeks.
2. He said that Denmark and Greenland are open to the idea of the United States establishing additional military bases on the island, but stressed that there are certain “red lines” that Washington cannot cross.
“We agreed that it makes sense to try to sit down at a high level and explore whether there are options to accommodate the president’s concerns while respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” the Danish FM said.
3. They also said that Washington has not backed down from its position that it must acquire Greenland, an autonomous and mineral-rich territory of Denmark of great strategic importance. Rasmussen and Motzfeldt said such a move would constitute an unacceptable breach of sovereignty.
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Rasmussen told reporters outside the Danish embassy in Washington: “We have not succeeded in changing the American position. It is clear that the president wishes to conquer Greenland.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt speak at a press conference at the Embassy of Denmark on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)(AP)
4. Rasmussen emphasized the strong security partnership between Denmark, Greenland and the United States, noting that Danish forces previously served alongside American troops in Afghanistan during the 21st century. He described Denmark and Greenland as some of Washington’s closest allies and said that despite differing views on Greenland’s future, all sides shared common concerns about security in the Arctic region.
He also said there was no imminent danger from China or Russia that Denmark and Greenland could not handle, pointing out that there was currently no Chinese presence in Greenland. He played down speculation that such a presence could emerge in the next 10 or 20 years.
Rasmussen further stated that Greenland is part of NATO through Denmark and is protected under Article 5, which guarantees collective defense.
5. Rasmussen said “fundamental disagreement” remains.
6. He added, “I’m not saying anything is settled. It’s not settled.” He described the meeting as “sincere but constructive”.
7. Meanwhile, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt stressed that while Greenland needs to deepen cooperation with the United States as an ally, this should not come at the expense of its sovereignty. “That doesn’t mean we want to be owned by the United States,” she said, according to ANI.
8. She later noted that it is always in Greenland’s interest to identify the “right way forward” and work towards stronger mutual understanding.
9. Urging a return to stable relations, Motzfeldt said: “The US and Greenland must return to the normalized relationship we had. It is in the interests of both countries to find a balance and work as allies. We are allies, we are friends.”
10. At Denmark’s request, several NATO countries have confirmed that they will deploy military personnel to Greenland this week for a joint exercise called “Operation Arctic Endurance”. Ahead of the White House meeting, Denmark unveiled plans to boost its military presence on the island, saying activities could include guarding national infrastructure, deploying fighter jets and conducting naval operations.
Germany, France, Sweden and Norway have reportedly confirmed their attendance to show support for both Copenhagen and Nuuk.
(With input from agencies)
