Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced a “fundamental disagreement” with the United States on Greenland’s future following high-level White House discussions with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The parties formed a senior working group to tackle Arctic security, due to convene soon, as Denmark ramps up billions in regional defences.
Rasmussen called the talks frank but constructive, rejecting President Trump’s drive to acquire the resource-rich island for his Golden Dome missile shield. Trump insisted from the Oval Office that U.S. control is vital against Russian or Chinese threats. “We need Greenland for national security,” he said.
“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,” he added, sidestepping questions on military options.
Rasmussen dismissed warship claims near Greenland as baseless, set “red lines” for the U.S., and signalled openness to more bases at Pituffik Space Base, where over 100 U.S. troops serve under longstanding pacts. “We made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of [Denmark],” he said.
Greenland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Motzfeldt welcomed cooperation but opposed takeover. “We have shown where our limits are,” she said. “It’s productive to start discussions at a high level,” Rasmussen noted.
Greenland’s Arctic position aids missile warnings and sea monitoring. European allies backed Denmark—Sweden offered troops, France a consulate, Germany reconnaissance—amid spreading geopolitical strains. “Geopolitical tensions have spread to the arctic,” Denmark stated.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows only 17 per cent of Americans back seizure, 47 per cent oppose; most Greenlanders reject U.S. rule. The summit follows U.S. actions in Venezuela, Syria, and threats over Iran’s protests.