Denmark, Greenland to meet Vance and Rubio over Trump takeover threat

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland will meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump revived calls for the United States to take control of Greenland.

Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt had requested the meeting following Trump’s recent escalation of rhetoric about acquiring the territory, which is self-governing within the Kingdom of Denmark.

Rubio said earlier this month that President Donald Trump continued to view Greenland as strategically vital to U.S. security, while insisting diplomacy remained Washington’s preferred approach.

Rasmussen said Vance would host the talks. "Our reason for seeking the meeting we have now been given was to move this whole discussion into a meeting room where we can look each other in the eye and talk about these things," he told reporters in Copenhagen.

Trump first floated the idea of a U.S. takeover of Greenland in 2019 during his first term. The proposal met opposition in Washington, including from members of his own party.

Although Denmark has ruled Greenland for centuries, the island has moved steadily towards greater autonomy since 1979. Independence remains a long-term objective shared by all parties represented in Greenland’s parliament.

Separately, Denmark is pressing for wider discussion of Arctic security within NATO. Defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said he would meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels next week, alongside Motzfeldt.

• Greenland advances parliament meeting over U.S. statements
• Trump says U.S. should own Greenland to deter Russia, China
• Rubio to meet Danish leaders as Trump pushes Greenland claim
• European allies back Denmark amid renewed U.S. claims over Greenland

Poulsen said Denmark planned to expand its military presence in Greenland, with other NATO members expected to participate in exercises and training in 2026.

Tags

Denmark Greenland United States Donald Trump Arctic security