Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said a “fundamental disagreement” remains with the United States over Greenland after high-level talks at the White House, but both sides agreed to form a working group to keep discussing security concerns while respecting Denmark’s sovereignty.
Rasmussen, speaking alongside Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt at a press conference at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., on January 14, 2026, described the earlier meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as “frank but constructive.” The discussions focused on President Donald Trump’s longstanding push for U.S. control or acquisition of Greenland, which he has framed as essential for national security amid potential threats from Russia and China in the Arctic.
“But it’s not that I’m now saying everything is solved. It’s not solved, we didn’t manage to change the American position,” Rasmussen said. “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland. We made very clearly that this was in no interest for our Kingdom.”
He emphasized the united stance of Denmark and Greenland, noting strong support within Greenland for remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark. “There’s a government in Greenland with support from three-quarters of the population. The premier made it very clear yesterday that Greenland for the time being and foreseeable future will remain within the Kingdom.”
Rasmussen stressed that cooperation with the U.S. must be respectful and honor key boundaries. “And therefore this is common position. That we want to work with our American friends and allies. But it must be respectful cooperation. It must respect red lines.” He added that any ideas violating territorial integrity or Greenland’s right to self-determination are “totally unacceptable,” as detailed in Reuters coverage of the talks.
Later the same day, during a White House signing ceremony, President Trump fielded questions from reporters and doubled down on his position. He reiterated that the U.S. “needs Greenland” for national security, warning that if Washington does not act, “Russia’s going to go in and China’s going to go in and there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it.”
Trump specifically mocked Denmark’s recent efforts to bolster defenses in Greenland, sarcastically referencing additions to their military presence. “I can’t rely on Denmark being able to fend [them] off. You know, they were talking about they put an extra dog… and they were serious about this. They put an extra dog sled there last uh month. They added a second dog sled. That’s not going to do the trick,” he said.
The two sides decided to establish a high-level working group to explore ways forward, focusing on addressing U.S. security concerns without crossing Denmark’s red lines. The group is expected to meet in the coming weeks, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said to reporters.
The exchanges highlight renewed tension over Trump’s repeated interest in Greenland, dating back to his first term and escalating in early 2026 with statements about the need for U.S. control to counter Arctic rivals. Denmark, a NATO ally, has consistently rejected any transfer of sovereignty, while Greenland’s leadership affirms its preference to stay within the Kingdom for the foreseeable future, as highlighted in BBC reporting on the disagreement.
