Officials from Denmark and Greenland are now reportedly asking for direct talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio as President Donald Trump renews his push to bring Greenland under U.S. control, citing national security concerns in the Arctic.
Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, and Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Rasmussen, said separately that they have requested meetings with Rubio to discuss Washington’s intentions. Both officials noted that similar requests were made last year but never materialized.
“The strong request for a meeting is related to the U.S.’s claims about our country,” Motzfeldt said, according to ABC News. She added that Greenland has sought dialogue for some time without success, despite repeated outreach. Rasmussen said a meeting would help clear up what he described as “certain misunderstandings” surrounding Washington’s interest in acquiring Greenland, according to France 24.
Trump has amplified his case for U.S. control of Greenland in recent days, following a dramatic U.S. military operation that resulted in the arrest and extradition of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro from Caracas.
Maduro was transported to New York, where he is expected to face drug trafficking charges, a move that sent shock waves through global capitals and underscored the administration’s willingness to act decisively to protect U.S. interests.
Against that backdrop, the White House issued a statement Tuesday saying the administration is keeping all options on the table in its Greenland strategy, including the possible use of the U.S. military. “President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” the statement said.
The White House added that the president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue the goal, noting that military power is always available to the commander in chief.
Rubio, however, sought to dial back fears of an imminent conflict. Speaking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill Monday, he said references to military involvement are part of a broader bargaining strategy.
According to The New York Times, Rubio emphasized that Trump’s preference is to purchase Greenland from Denmark, not invade it.
Denmark has repeatedly rejected U.S. claims to the territory, insisting Greenland is not for sale. That resistance hardened this week as several European powers closed ranks.
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland joined Denmark in issuing a joint statement opposing any U.S. acquisition of Greenland, signaling deep concern among America’s allies.
Trump has remained undeterred, arguing that Greenland’s location makes it indispensable to U.S. security, particularly as competition intensifies in the Arctic.
The president has pointed to the need to secure shipping lanes and counter adversarial activity in the region. He has also suggested that continued European control over Greenland runs counter to long-standing American principles designed to limit outside influence in the Western Hemisphere.
For Copenhagen and Nuuk, the request to meet with Rubio reflects an attempt to reassert their position and cool escalating rhetoric. For the Trump administration, it is another front in a broader push to reshape global power dynamics in favor of American security interests.
Whether the requested meetings take place remains unclear. What is clear is that Greenland has become a focal point of Trump’s foreign policy, with Denmark and Greenland now pressing for direct talks as Washington signals it is serious about changing the status quo in the Arctic.
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