Sadiq S BhatWashington, DC — The White House has said a European military mission taking shape in Greenland would not deter US President Donald Trump from pursuing control of the autonomous, mineral-rich Danish territory.
"I don't think troops in Europe impact the president's decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a White House press briefing on Thursday.
Referring to Wednesday’s meeting of foreign ministers of Denmark, Greenland and US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Leavitt said: "In that meeting, the two sides agreed to really establish a working group of individuals who will continue to have technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland. Those talks will take place, I'm told, every two to three weeks."
"This is a conversation the administration intends to keep having with the Danes and with the respected delegation from Greenland."
After attending the White House talks, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen posted on Thursday: "We agree on the objective: enhancing long term security in the Arctic. But we disagree on the method."
"This is 2026 — you can trade with people, but you don't trade people."
Trump insists he wants to control Greenland, but Greenlanders say it is not for sale.
The island is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, and the prime minister of that country Mette Frederiksen, has warned that if the US tries to take Greenland by force, it could potentially spell the end of NATO.
'Dialogue and diplomacy'
Meanwhile, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said that "dialogue and diplomacy are the right way forward", hailing the fact that a dialogue was now "underway".
Two Danish troop transport planes, meanwhile, landed in Greenland on Wednesday.
Britain, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have also announced the deployment of military personnel as part of a reconnaissance mission to Greenland's capital Nuuk, under Denmark's "Arctic Endurance" exercise organised with NATO allies.
The modest military reinforcements — 13 soldiers from Germany, for example — are meant to prepare armed forces for future exercises in the Arctic, according to European defence sources.
"A first team of French service members is already on site and will be reinforced in the coming days with land, air, and maritime assets," French President Emmanuel Macron said.
Germany's defence ministry said the aim was to "explore the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region".
With developments unfolding rapidly, the prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland will meet a visiting US congressional delegation on Friday and Saturday in Copenhagen, their offices said.
Strategic location
Trump has repeatedly stated that the US needs to acquire Greenland primarily for national security reasons.
He argues that the island's strategic Arctic location is essential for defending against potential threats from Russia and China, claiming that if the US doesn't take control, those adversaries will.
Trump has emphasised that existing US military agreements or leases with Denmark are insufficient, insisting that full ownership is required to properly defend the territory, monitor missile threats, and support initiatives like the proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system.
In addition to security, Trump highlights Greenland's geopolitical value in an era of melting Arctic ice, which opens new shipping routes and makes its vast untapped resources — such as rare earth minerals, oil, and gas — more accessible.
