U.S., Greenland and Denmark set for talks amid Trump takeover threats
U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President J.D. Vance meet with Democratic Republic of the Congo Secretary of State Therese Kayikwamba Wagner (not pictured) and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, June 27, 2025.
Ken Cedeno | Reuters
The Trump administration is preparing for tight talks with Greenlandic and Danish officials on Wednesday, amid the US president’s ongoing push to seize control of Greenland.
Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and her Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen are expected to meet at the White House to meet with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The risky meeting took place shortly after Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen portrayed a united front against Trump’s repeated takeover threats.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Greenlander Nielsen said that if the self-governing Danish territory had to choose between the United States and Denmark, “We would choose Denmark.”
Frederiksen also said it was not easy to resist what he described as “completely unacceptable pressure” from our closest ally. “But there is much to suggest that the hardest part is still ahead.”
Trump, who has long sought to make Greenland part of the United States, renewed his interest in the vast, mineral-rich Arctic island following a daring US military operation in Venezuela on January 3.
The US president said that the island, which has a strategic location between Europe and North America, is of vital importance “in terms of national security”.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One recently, Trump said: in question The US will gain control of Greenland “one way or another” even if it strains relations within the NATO military alliance.
Trump’s comments sparked alarm in Denmark, which is responsible for the defense of Greenland, and Frederiksen warned that a US attack would mark the end of NATO.
Defense and resources
Ian Lesser, a distinguished fellow at GMF, a Washington-based think tank, said the risks to the talks were “very high” and that failure to resolve the diplomatic crisis “threatens not only the integrity of NATO, but also the future existence of the Alliance as we know it.”
Lesser said the meeting will likely seek to clarify the possibility and potential contours of a negotiated solution to the crisis.
“There may be new European commitments to strengthen the defenses of Greenland and, more importantly, the surrounding maritime space. There may also be parallel talks on new and privileged U.S. access to Greenlandic resources,” Lesser told CNBC via email.
“Or the meeting could end in acrimony,” he added.
Greenlandic Head of Government (Naalakkersuisut) Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen make a statement on the current situation at a press conference held at the Prime Minister’s Office Mirror Hall in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 13, 2026.
Liselotte Sabroe | Afp | Getty Images
The possibility of a public falling out between US and European officials at the White House comes to mind A highly contentious meeting took place between Trump, Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February last year.
Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of disrespect after the meeting veered sharply off track and turned into an extraordinary shouting match live on camera.
What would a good outcome look like?
Otto Svendsen, an assistant researcher at the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, said tensions between Greenland and Denmark were put aside to form a united front against US threats.
Svendsen said the White House meeting would provide more clues about how determined the entire Trump administration is to seize Greenland and how deterrent the administration is against threats of a complete breakdown of bilateral relations.
“A good outcome for the Danes and Greenlanders would be a statement confirming Greenland’s sovereignty and position within the Kingdom. Anything short of this leaves the door open to continued threats and pressure,” Svendsen told CNBC in an emailed statement.
“In return, the Danish and Greenlandic delegation will likely present plans to reconsider economic and security arrangements between the three countries, such as more favorable access for US companies to the Greenlandic mining sector and additional Danish investments in Arctic security,” he added.
Many European leaders Last week, he marched in support of Greenland, saying security in the Arctic should be ensured collectively.
“Greenland belongs to its people. It is up to Denmark and Greenland, and they alone, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the leaders said. he said. The letter was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as well as the leaders of Italy, Spain and Poland.
