Denmark is furious with Trump's repeated threats - with the US President saying his country "needs" the huge island, claiming Russia or China will "take it" otherwise.
20:51, Wed, Jan 14, 2026 Updated: 21:20, Wed, Jan 14, 2026
Trump (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump appeared to threaten Danish troops as he warned Denmark and Greenland that they cannot stop the US from taking the island. Mr Trump was speaking to reporters at the White House as tension mounted over the future of the autonomous Arctic territory.
Speaking after discussions with Denmark's leaders, he said: "We're going to see what happens with Greenland. We need Greenland for national security, so we're going to see what happens.
"They're going to brief me on the meeting right after this conference. The sooner I get you out to faster, but we have a very good relationship with Denmark.
"We're doing the golden dome. We're doing a lot of things, and we really need it.
"If we don't go in, Russia is going to go in, and China is going to go in. And there's not a thing that Denmark can do about it, but we can do everything."
Referring to Secretary-General Mark Rutte, he added: "We need it for national security, and that includes Europe. And I spoke with, as you know, Mark, the head of NATO, and he really wants to see something happen."
Vivian Motzfeldt and Lars Lokke Rasmussen, foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark respectively (Image: Getty Images)
Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” persists with President Donald Trump over Greenland following high-level talks in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Mr Trump has described anything less than American ownership as “unacceptable” and suggested NATO should facilitate the takeover, while not ruling out force, prompting fury in Copenhagen and Nuuk.
Both sides agreed to establish a high-level working group to explore addressing US security concerns while respecting Denmark's territorial integrity and Greenland's self-determination.
The group is expected to convene within weeks.
Denmark has pledged to bolster its military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic, with European allies signalling support. Greenlandic leaders emphasise that the island “is not for sale” and its people overwhelmingly oppose joining the US.
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Defence Secretary John Healey has said the UK is sending one military officer to Greenland on Denmark’s request as part of a multi-national military exercise.
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