US President Donald Trump has again underlined that Greenland is of critical importance to American national security, insisting that Denmark cannot adequately guarantee the island’s safety and that Washington must play the decisive role. His remarks came after a closely watched meeting in Washington between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, which ended without narrowing the deep divide over the future of the Danish overseas territory.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said Greenland was vital not only for US security but also for Denmark’s. He argued that Copenhagen would be powerless if Russia or China attempted to assert control over the island, while the United States would be able to prevent such a scenario. He added that recent international developments showed how quickly geopolitical situations could change. Despite this, Trump suggested that “something will work out” regarding Greenland’s future governance.

Fundamental disagreement after Washington talks

The talks, which lasted around an hour, brought together US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. According to Rasmussen, the discussions were frank but failed to resolve what he described as a “fundamental disagreement”. He said Denmark had made it clear that a US takeover of Greenland was not in the interest of the Kingdom of Denmark, but acknowledged that Washington’s position remained unchanged.

Rasmussen stressed that it was neither necessary nor acceptable for the United States to seize Greenland, which is largely self-governing but remains part of the Danish kingdom. He called for respectful cooperation and dialogue, noting that Denmark was open to addressing US security concerns as long as Denmark’s core red lines were respected.

As a limited outcome of the meeting, the two sides agreed to establish a working group tasked with exploring ways to manage disagreements and discuss security issues related to the Arctic island.

Rising military presence and European backing

In parallel with the diplomatic talks, Denmark announced plans to strengthen its military footprint in Greenland and the wider Arctic region. Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the country would move toward a more permanent and expanded presence, citing an increasingly unpredictable security environment. Aircraft, naval vessels and soldiers, including from NATO allies, are expected to be deployed in and around Greenland.

France, Germany and Norway have publicly expressed support for Denmark, indicating they are prepared to contribute troops to a multinational force led by Copenhagen. Sweden also confirmed that military personnel had begun arriving in Greenland as part of allied preparations under Denmark’s Operation Arctic Endurance exercise. Norway said it would send officers to assess further cooperation.