The Danish Government has firmly rejected the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland, reaffirming its sovereignty over the Arctic island.
Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that such a proposal was "out of the question" – adding that it went against Denmark’s values and international law. He stressed that it undermines both Danish and Greenlandic autonomy.
According to Rasmussen, the US does not need ownership of Greenland to address its security concerns in the region.
The remarks followed statements from White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who suggested that European troop deployments in Greenland – a decision made by Denmark in response to US criticisms – had no bearing on President Donald Trump’s goal of acquiring the territory.
This diplomatic exchange came just 24 hours after Danish and Greenlandic leaders met in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the meeting, Denmark acknowledged a "fundamental disagreement" with the US regarding Greenland’s future.
Rasmussen admitted he believes Trump remains interested in taking control of Greenland.
He explained that Denmark had agreed to a high-level dialogue process aimed at reconciling US security concerns with the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.
He noted that the discussions would respect Denmark’s "red lines" while exploring mutual solutions.
Nuuk residents ready to defend independence
Greenlanders are determined to defend the island’s independence, according to Avaaraq Olsen, mayor of Greenland’s capital Nuuk, in an interview with Spanish news agency EFE on Friday.
Olsen, a member of the social democratic party Inuit Ataqatigiit, which also includes Greenland’s president Múte B. Egede, expressed concerns that Greenlanders are, for the first time, fearful of losing their identity.
This apprehension stems from former US President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Greenland. “We never imagined that one day we might lose our flag,” Olsen stated.
Despite these fears, Olsen noted the strong resolve among citizens to resist such a possibility.
"We’ve always felt proud, but now we’ve discovered we’re ready to defend that pride," she added. Nuuk is home to roughly 20,000 people, making up one-third of Greenland’s total population.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meetings between Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Vivian Motzfeldt, with US counterpart Marco Rubio, Olsen instructed municipal services to raise the Greenlandic flag in the city.
