Greenland dispute: Donald Trump says ‘something will work out’; cites 'need' for 'national security'

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that a resolution could come up amid his repeated threats to seize Greenland, following a high-level meeting in Washington with officials from Denmark and the autonomous territory. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after the talks, Trump said the United States had “a very good relationship with Denmark,” which has governed Greenland for centuries, adding, “I think something will work out.”

However, Trump also reiterated his view that Greenland is critical to US security interests. “We need Greenland for national security, so we are going to see what happens,” he said. Emphasising strategic competition in the Arctic, Trump added, “If we don't go in, Russia and China are going to go in.

It is not a thing that Denmark can do anything about, but we can do everything about it.”

Trump’s remarks on Greenland came after officials from Greenland and Denmark met in Washington on Wednesday with senior White House officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, amid renewed assertions by US President Donald Trump that Nato should help the United States acquire Greenland and that anything short of American control of the world’s largest island is unacceptable.

Following the talks, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains between Copenhagen and the White House after discussions with Vance and Rubio. Speaking at a press conference, Rasmussen said it was “absolutely not necessary” for the US to seize Greenland, adding that Trump has a clear wish of “conquering” the territory.Also read: Denmark discusses Greenland with US in White House meeting; urges ‘respectful’ cooperation