The diplomatic temperature between Washington and Copenhagen has dropped to sub-zero.After a high-stakes meeting at the White House, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen declared a "fundamental disagreement" with the Trump administration over the future of Greenland.

The talks, attended by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were an attempt to defuse President Trump’s renewed insistence that the US must "acquire" the semi-autonomous Arctic island for national security purposes. Trump had earlier tweeted that "NATO should lead the way" in securing Greenland, warning of Chinese and Russian encroachment.

"We Are Not for Sale"

Rasmussen stood firm, flanked by Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. It is clear the President has this wish of conquering Greenland," Rasmussen told reporters. "We made it very clear: this is not in the interest of the Kingdom. We are not for sale."

Despite the deadlock, the two sides agreed to establish a working group to address US security concerns without compromising Danish sovereignty. Denmark has also announced plans to beef up its military presence in the Arctic, deploying drones and ships to demonstrate it can police its own backyard without American "help."

• The Strategic Prize: Greenland sits at a critical chokepoint in the North Atlantic. Melting ice is opening up new shipping lanes and exposing vast deposits of rare earth minerals, making it a geopolitical chessboard for superpowers.
• NATO Tensions: Trump’s rhetoric has unnerved NATO allies, who view the territorial claim as a violation of the alliance’s principles. "You don't buy your allies' territory," a European diplomat remarked. "You defend it."