Trump Keeps Military Options Open for Greenland Acquisition

Tensions between the United States and Denmark have escalated as President Donald Trump has not ruled out the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This statement from the White House comes in the wake of renewed discussions about the Arctic island, particularly following the recent ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump is exploring various avenues to achieve this goal.

“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” Leavitt stated. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to downplay the idea of military action during a briefing with lawmakers. He indicated that an invasion was not imminent and that the primary objective was to negotiate a purchase of the island from Denmark, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Despite Rubio’s reassurances, his comments, combined with Leavitt’s earlier statements, are likely to exacerbate tensions with Denmark and Greenland’s leadership. Both have strongly opposed Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring the island. The president has expressed interest in Greenland since his first term but has intensified his rhetoric following a recent military operation aimed at removing Maduro.

Read More: Europe Backs Greenland After Trump Resumes Takeover Threats

In response to the escalating situation, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced that both Denmark and Greenland have requested a meeting with Rubio. Greenland’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, expressed on Facebook that the purpose of the talks would be “to discuss the United States’ strong statements regarding Greenland.”

“When we want this, it is of course because we have the impression that part of this discussion is based on a misreading of what is what,” Lokke Rasmussen told reporters after a meeting at the parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee. “We believe it makes sense to try to arrange a meeting with our American counterparts in order to clear up some of the misunderstandings that may exist.”

Earlier on Tuesday, European leaders issued a joint statement emphasizing that Trump must respect the territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark. They reiterated that Greenland falls under NATO’s collective defense umbrella as part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and that security in the Arctic should be a collaborative effort among NATO allies.

A State Department spokesperson later stated that the US, Denmark, and NATO share a common interest in addressing heightened activities by adversaries in the Arctic. Washington is also seeking commercial ties that would benefit both the people of Greenland and the United States.

The foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden also released a joint statement on Tuesday, urging respect for “the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law, including the inviolability of borders.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Monday that any US attack on Greenland would jeopardize the NATO alliance and the security established since the end of World War II.

US officials have continued to amplify their rhetoric on the matter. In an interview with CNN, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller asserted that in a world “governed by strength,” the US has a right to claim the territory.

“This is of course not something we can agree to,” Lokke Rasmussen responded. “And it is also not something that Greenland has any ambitions of agreeing to, so that is obviously a red line.”

Photograph: Small fishing boats on the ice at the port in Sisimiut, Greenland. Photo credit: Juliette Pavy/Bloomberg

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

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Mergers & Acquisitions

Tensions between the United States and Denmark have escalated as President Donald Trump has not ruled out the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This statement from the White House comes in the wake of renewed discussions about the Arctic island, particularly following the recent ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump is exploring various avenues to achieve this goal.

“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” Leavitt stated. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to downplay the idea of military action during a briefing with lawmakers. He indicated that an invasion was not imminent and that the primary objective was to negotiate a purchase of the island from Denmark, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Despite Rubio’s reassurances, his comments, combined with Leavitt’s earlier statements, are likely to exacerbate tensions with Denmark and Greenland’s leadership. Both have strongly opposed Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring the island. The president has expressed interest in Greenland since his first term but has intensified his rhetoric following a recent military operation aimed at removing Maduro.

Read More: Europe Backs Greenland After Trump Resumes Takeover Threats

In response to the escalating situation, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced that both Denmark and Greenland have requested a meeting with Rubio. Greenland’s Foreign Minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, expressed on Facebook that the purpose of the talks would be “to discuss the United States’ strong statements regarding Greenland.”

“When we want this, it is of course because we have the impression that part of this discussion is based on a misreading of what is what,” Lokke Rasmussen told reporters after a meeting at the parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee. “We believe it makes sense to try to arrange a meeting with our American counterparts in order to clear up some of the misunderstandings that may exist.”

Earlier on Tuesday, European leaders issued a joint statement emphasizing that Trump must respect the territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark. They reiterated that Greenland falls under NATO’s collective defense umbrella as part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and that security in the Arctic should be a collaborative effort among NATO allies.

A State Department spokesperson later stated that the US, Denmark, and NATO share a common interest in addressing heightened activities by adversaries in the Arctic. Washington is also seeking commercial ties that would benefit both the people of Greenland and the United States.

The foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden also released a joint statement on Tuesday, urging respect for “the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law, including the inviolability of borders.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned on Monday that any US attack on Greenland would jeopardize the NATO alliance and the security established since the end of World War II.

US officials have continued to amplify their rhetoric on the matter. In an interview with CNN, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller asserted that in a world “governed by strength,” the US has a right to claim the territory.

“This is of course not something we can agree to,” Lokke Rasmussen responded. “And it is also not something that Greenland has any ambitions of agreeing to, so that is obviously a red line.”

Photograph: Small fishing boats on the ice at the port in Sisimiut, Greenland. Photo credit: Juliette Pavy/Bloomberg

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics
Mergers & Acquisitions