U.S. signals no retreat on Trump’s Greenland push as Europe, Canada rally behind Denmark
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week and signaled no retreat from President Donald Trump’s aim to take control of Greenland, even as alarmed allies scramble to coordinate a response and lawmakers in Washington push back.
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A weekend U.S. military operation that seized the leader of Venezuela rekindled concerns about intentions toward Greenland, and U.S. officials have done little to allay fears. Rubio told reporters Trump retained the option to pursue his Greenland objective by military means, though he emphasized diplomacy as the preferred path.
“As a diplomat, which is what I am now, and what we work on, we always prefer to settle it in different ways — that included in Venezuela,” Rubio said when asked whether Washington would risk the U.S.-led NATO alliance with a forcible takeover.
The White House said Tuesday that Trump is discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the U.S. military despite European objections. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a potential U.S. purchase is being actively discussed by Trump and his national security team. “All options are always on the table for President Trump … the president’s first option always has been diplomacy,” she said.
Rubio told congressional leaders in a classified briefing late Monday that the goal was to buy the island, according to two people familiar with the session. Trump first floated the idea in 2019 during his first term, arguing Greenland is key to U.S. security and that Denmark has not done enough to protect it. Two existing agreements — a 1951 defense treaty with Denmark and a 2023 accord — already provide the U.S. military broad access to the island.
On Capitol Hill, both Democrats and Republicans signaled resistance. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said “threats and intimidation by U.S. officials over American ownership of Greenland are as unseemly as they are counterproductive,” adding that any use of force “would be an especially catastrophic act of strategic self-harm to America and its global influence.” Several senators said they expect the chamber to consider legislation to rein in Trump’s ability to attempt a seizure.
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and Europe has made it central to U.S. ballistic missile defense for decades. The island’s mineral wealth also aligns with U.S. ambitions to reduce reliance on China. But European leaders and Canada closed ranks this week behind Copenhagen and Nuuk, saying Greenland belongs to its people.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Trump he stands with Denmark over Greenland. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris is coordinating with Germany and Poland, while a German government source said Berlin is working closely with European partners and Denmark on next steps. EU Council President Antonio Costa said the bloc would support Greenland and Denmark and would not accept violations of international law “no matter where they occur.”
Johannes Koskinen, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee in Finland’s parliament, called for the issue to be raised at NATO, whose North Atlantic Council meets later today. Allies, he said, should ensure the United States “cannot disregard jointly agreed plans in order to pursue its own power ambitions.” A senior European official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Denmark must lead coordination but has yet to specify what support it seeks.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt requested an urgent meeting with Rubio. “The shouting match must be replaced by a more sensible dialogue. Now,” Rasmussen wrote on social media, saying Copenhagen wants to “add some nuance to the conversation.”
Greenland continues to reject any annexation. “Greenland has never been for sale and never will be for sale,” said Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, calling U.S. officials’ refusal to rule out military intervention “completely appalling.”
Denmark disputes Trump’s assertions that Russian and Chinese vessels are stalking waters near the island. “The image that’s being painted … is not correct,” Rasmussen said. Vessel-tracking data from MarineTraffic and LSEG show no presence of Chinese or Russian ships near Greenland.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
