Can Trump Forcefully Take Over Greenland? Denmark Heads To White House For Talks

Last Updated:January 13, 2026, 18:04 IST

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he and Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt had sought the meeting at the White House.

US President Donald Trump

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland are set to meet US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House amid renewed remarks by Donald Trump about taking control of the Arctic island.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he and Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt had sought the meeting after Donald Trump recently stepped up rhetoric about a possible US takeover of Greenland.

“US Vice President JD Vance also wanted to participate in the meeting, and he will host it, which means it will be held at the White House," Rasmussen said, adding, “Our reason for seeking the meeting was to move this whole discussion into a meeting room where we can look each other in the eye and talk about these things."

Donald Trump first floated the idea of the US acquiring Greenland in 2019 during his first term in office. The proposal was widely rejected at the time by Denmark and Greenland and drew scepticism in Washington, including from members of Donald Trump’s own party.

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

Denmark is also pushing to raise Arctic security issues within NATO. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said he would meet Mark Rutte in Brussels next week, along with Motzfeldt, to discuss security concerns in the Arctic region. Poulsen said Denmark plans to expand its military presence in Greenland, with other NATO countries expected to take part in exercises and training in 2026.

“It has been a Danish priority for several years to have this discussion within NATO, and not least to get greater attention from NATO regarding its presence in and around the Arctic," he said.

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