After Danish and U.S. Officials Meet on Greenland, Trump Remains Unmoved

After Danish and U.S. Officials Meet on Greenland, Trump Remains Unmoved

After the meeting of Danish and American officials on Greenland, Trump remained unmoved. Minister Uh Vivian Musfeld and I met today with Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio.

We come here after many people have made public comments about Greenland and Arctic security. The United States can always ask to increase its presence in Greenland

And so we want to hear whether the United States would make any further requests on this front. We will consider any such requests constructively. On that basis, we had

What I would describe as a frank but constructive discussion. The discussion focused on ways to ensure long-term security in Greenland. And here our perspectives continue to differ.

I would certainly say that the President has made his perspective clear, and our position is different. We, the Kingdom of Denmark, believe that the long-term security of Greenland can be ensured within the existing framework,

The  1951 Treaty on the Defense of Greenland, as well as within the NATO agreement. For us, ideas that would not respect the territorial

integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination are, of course, completely unacceptable. But that does not mean that we want to be owned by the United States.

How we can strengthen our cooperation as allies is in our interest. Well, we will see what happens with Greenland.

We need the national security of Greenland. So, we are going to see what happens. We have a very good relationship with Denmark, as you know.

We will see. But, oh, you know, we are redoing the Golden Dome. We are doing a lot of things, and we really need to do that.

Oh, if we don't go in, Russia will go in, and China will go in, and Denmark can't do anything about it, but we can do everything about it.

It is not a true story that we have Chinese warships everywhere. According to our intelligence, we haven't had Chinese residents in Greenland for a decade or more.

And the problem is that if Russia or China wanted to take over Greenland, Denmark can't do anything about it. But there's everything we can do.

You found out last week about Venezuela. We can do nothing about things like that. Not going to happen. Oh, we're not, you know,

I can't believe Denmark was able to stop itself. You know, they were talking about putting an extra dog in there.

And they were serious about it. They put an extra dog sled there. Oh, there's always a little bit of truth in what he's saying, not about killing dogs.

Well, we have dog sleds for our special forces. That's the way it is, you know, otherwise you couldn't get to the northern part of Greenland.

But I must say that we certainly share their concerns to some extent. There is definitely a new security situation in the Arctic.

Trump's threats to ‘acquire’ Greenland as Vance and Rubio meet Danish and Greenland officials

I have very good relations with Denmark, and we will see how it all works out. I think something will work out.

It may be known as a land of ice and snow, but Greenland is rich in rare earth minerals and strategically important for defense and trade.

If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I won’t let that happen. Many Americans don’t understand the Danish claim to this Arctic jewel.

That is part of their Western defenses. sleds. Do you know that? You know what their defenses are? Two dog sleds. No, not a dog sled.

Denmark and NATO allies sent planes, ships, and troops today as Trump reiterated his desire to own Greenland. The foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark arrived in D.C. to meet with Vice President Jay Vance.

and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to push for diplomacy. Ideas that do not respect the territory and sovereignty of the kingdom are completely unacceptable to us.

The people of Greenland are, of course, completely unacceptable. And so we still have fundamental disagreements, but we also agree to disagree.

And so we will continue to talk anyway. An echo of a desire from the Greenlanders. We are not going to take up swords. We are not going to go to any kind of war.

What we are going to find is hopefully a diplomatic solution. President Trump is not fair to us because I can't imagine living an American life.

It is very free here, and we can live as we please. But the United States sees strategic interests everywhere in Greenland. Rare earth minerals,

but also a Russian missile route to the United States, and where melting ice could open up trade routes for China. One thing everyone must understand. Greenland will no longer be owned by the United States.

Greenland will not be governed by the United States. We choose the Greenland we know today, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Under this arrangement, Greenland is taking the path of self-determination with Denmark. Greenland belongs to its people. Greenlanders must know.

And they know by actions, not just words, that we respect the wishes of Greenlanders and their interests and that they can trust us.

But it is a bit difficult to trust the EU in the face of threats from the US when all parties aim to be members of the same group,

from Denmark to the Minister of Defense. In Greenland, it is clear that they had a little hope that they would sit down and the Americans would tell them, "Don't worry, it's all a big misunderstanding."

They clearly did not get that at the meeting. It was constructive. There is going to be a high-level working group that will meet within weeks to discuss US security concerns and Danish red lines.

But the Americans were sincere. And indeed, the White House posted a picture this afternoon that shows that they do not see it as US versus Denmark.

They see it as Greenland choosing between the US, Russia, and China. But listening to Donald Trump, he's not so worried about NATO.

And indeed, when I talk to European diplomats, they say, “Look, in the long run, we might be able to make a deal that is just European.”

But right now, NATO needs America, and America has more cards, so, in President Trump’s words, Denmark is adding two more dog sleds to protect Greenland.

Is that from the Danish side, no, an elite unit where teams patrolling within 5,000 miles of the Arctic Circle have been reinforced in the past year.

The Danish government added that they have announced more ships, two new long-range drones, and a new military headquarters, which are not exactly good for defense.

President Trump is committed to buying 16 more F-35 fighter jets from the United States, bringing their fleet to 43. Yet NATO has effectively conceded that

That members in the region need to be more domourised and the Danish Ministry of Defence has just announced that a troop presence will be announced in Greenland from today.

Keep in mind, allies, that there is already a US military base in Greenland, which Matt says I have now joined from Copenhagen, who is the head of the Danish Parliament's Defence Committee.

and Resilience Committee, thank you very much for coming. You have just heard, you have done everything.

Trump told you to do it. You have stepped up your defenses. You even have soldiers on the island today. None of this seems to have convinced the US president. That's right.

We are spending a lot of money on defending Greenland. Andy needs to emphasize that the Americans have full access to Greenland.

Also, if there were a major threat from Russia or China, the Americans would have had the opportunity to add as many troops to Greenland as they wanted, but they have reduced their presence by about 99%

from about 15,000 to 150 radar operators in northern Greenland today. So, umwe has greatly increased our presence.

And the Americans have almost eliminated them. But none of this convinces Donald Trump of the desire to acquire Greenland. You are not winning the argument.

No, it does not seem so. We have heard for several days that the President has been insisting on wanting ownership. But we think today's meeting was very good, very constructive.

What do they want in Greenland? In addition to the very good access that they already have. And the door is open. There is no need for threats.

Oh, we welcome the Americans in Greenland, and they can mine, they can have soldiers. Um, they just have to tell us what they want there.

So we have just heard from the German government that they will send German troops to Greenland next week. You have Norwegian troops there, obviously, and more Danish troops.

I mean, what is the point of all these troops on the island? Well, to increase the NATO presence in the increasing threats

that we are currently using. Um, and that is what the Americans have asked for. So, we are hoping that they will see this.

As a positive step. And if the Americans used force against Greenland, which is unlikely but possible, they would be potentially clashing with these troops.

Yeah. Um, I mean, let's not get to that point. It would be a disastrous scenario for all of NATO, NATO countries fighting each other for no logical purpose and no kind of legal status.

Um There is no justification for trying to annex Greenland. The Americans have no claim to it. No legal claim. There is no historical ownership,

No drug trafficking, and absolutely no threat from Denmark or Greenland, which have done nothing. And the Greenlandershave said

that they do not want to become the 51st state of the United States. In short, if it does not come by force, but the Americans still insist on having it, and they throw money at it,

They try to buy off the Greenlanders, who will come to your defense? It is absolutely out of the question. We will never agree to annexation with the Americans.

And we know that they are stronger than us. We know that they have a much better army, but despite this, we will not do this. Well, Rasmussen, thank you very much. Your explanation is needed.