Danish and Greenland Officials Press White House for Clarity as Trump Pushes Ownership of Arctic Island

By Blessing Nweke

Top diplomatic representatives from Denmark and Greenland met Thursday with White House officials to seek clarity on the Trump administration’s policy toward Greenland, amid renewed statements from President Donald Trump that the United States needs ownership of the strategically located Arctic island for national security reasons.

The meeting included Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Møller Sørensen and Greenland’s representative to Washington, Jacob Isbosethsen, according to a source familiar with the discussions. A White House official confirmed the talks but declined to identify which administration officials were present.

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is critical to U.S. security, with senior officials publicly discussing options ranging from purchasing the territory to, in extreme scenarios, using military power. In a recent New York Times interview, Trump said “ownership is very important,” arguing that outright control provides advantages that leases or treaties cannot.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland next week, signaling continued high-level engagement on the issue. Vice President JD Vance underscored the administration’s position during a White House briefing Thursday, urging European leaders to take the president “seriously.”

“Greenland is really important, not just to America’s missile defense, but to the world’s missile defense,” Vance said, adding that hostile adversaries have shown interest in the region. If Europe does not take Arctic security seriously, he warned, the U.S. “is going to have to do something about it.”

Sørensen and Isbosethsen also met with a bipartisan group of U.S. senators. Following those meetings, Sørensen noted on social media that Denmark, a NATO member, has invested $4 billion in Arctic security, including expanding its permanent military presence. He described Denmark and Greenland as “strong, reliable partners” in U.S. security interests.

Isbosethsen was unequivocal in rejecting any sale. “Greenland is not for sale,” he told NBC News, emphasizing that the island belongs to its people.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker, R-Miss., echoed that stance, saying there is no avenue for acquiring Greenland and that Danish and Greenland leaders have made their position clear.