Access the White House Watch newsletter at no cost
Your essential resource for understanding the implications of the 2024 US election for both Washington and the global stage
This week, Denmark’s foreign minister is scheduled to meet with the US secretary of state, marking the first high-level diplomatic discussions between the two nations following the re-election of US President Donald Trump, who has expressed intentions to “take control” of Greenland.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Marco Rubio plan to convene on the sidelines of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels starting Thursday, as reported by multiple officials briefed on the preparations to the Financial Times, amid significant diplomatic activity related to the Arctic territory.
Although the officials noted that the meeting could be canceled due to ongoing tensions between Copenhagen and Washington, it will coincide with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s visit to Greenland, shortly after Vice President JD Vance’s own trip to the island.
During Vance’s visit on Friday, Trump reiterated his claim that “we have to have Greenland,” stressing that US control over the resource-rich island is vital for global security and arguing that Denmark is not equipped to defend it against increasing Russian and Chinese influence.
Currently, American and Danish officials are engaging in only minimal diplomatic dialogue. Rasmussen and Rubio had a brief 20-minute telephone conversation in January, following a tense call between Frederiksen and Trump concerning the island.
A spokesperson from the US State Department declined to provide any information about the plans for this week’s meeting.
Denmark, which previously sought to downplay Trump’s demands and advised allies to refrain from responding to his statements, has recently altered its approach to better contend with Washington’s rhetoric.
This past weekend, Rasmussen publicly responded to criticisms from the Trump administration regarding Copenhagen’s governance of Greenland. “Of course, we are open to criticism,” he stated. “But let me be straightforward: We do not appreciate the tone in which it’s being conveyed … this is not how one communicates with close allies.”
The pressure on Greenland from the Trump administration was visibly impactful during a series of notable events on Monday.
Firstly, Greenland’s long-standing foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, remarked that Frederiksen’s upcoming visit, set for Wednesday, was “inappropriate” due to a new government awaiting formal approval the following week. “Good cooperation hinges on equality, and this is not equal,” Motzfeldt added.
Minutes later, the island’s prime minister-designate, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, contradicted Motzfeldt, asserting that Frederiksen’s visit was “still on” and that he was “personally looking forward to it”.
Initially, some Greenlandic politicians sought to leverage Trump’s interest to advocate for their aspiration of independence from Denmark, but there are now increasing indications that many Greenlanders recognize potential dangers in a hasty separation from Copenhagen.
Additional reporting by James Politi in Washington
