Trump Says Denmark Can Do ‘Nothing’ If Russia, China Move In On Greenland After Talks Fail

Last Updated:January 15, 2026, 02:58 IST

Denmark said it agreed to continue dialogue with Washington despite sharp differences over Greenland’s future.

Trump said the US must act on Greenland for national security, even as Denmark rejected any suggestion of a takeover. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his push for Greenland, saying the United States needs control of the island for national security and warning that Russia and China would otherwise “go in", even as Denmark said talks in Washington failed to change the US position.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said, “We need Greenland for national security. If we don’t go in, Russia is gonna go in and China is gonna go in, and there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it — but we can do everything about it."

Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is vital for US security, including for his proposed Golden Dome missile defence system, and has urged NATO to back American control of the island. He has also claimed that Chinese and Russian activity in the region poses a growing threat, a claim Denmark has rejected, saying intelligence shows no Chinese warships have been near Greenland for about a decade.

Pressed on whether he was suggesting the United States could acquire Greenland by force, Trump pushed back. “No, you’re saying that. I didn’t say it," he replied. When asked what options were being considered, Trump added, “Well, I wouldn’t be telling you."

The comments came hours after Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said there remained a “fundamental disagreement" between Copenhagen and Washington following high-level talks at the White House with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rasmussen said Denmark had failed to shift the Trump administration’s stance on Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.

“It remains clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland," he told reporters, adding that such ambitions were “not in the interest of the kingdom" and unacceptable as they failed to respect Denmark’s territorial integrity and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.

Despite the sharp differences, Rasmussen said both sides had agreed to set up a working group to continue dialogue and explore ways to address US security concerns without crossing Denmark’s red lines. Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, said the talks marked the start of a process and expressed cautious hope that Washington could be persuaded to drop its demand to acquire the territory.

News world Trump Says Denmark Can Do ‘Nothing’ If Russia, China Move In On Greenland After Talks Fail

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