The Flag of Greenland, recognized nationally as “Erfalasorput”, flies above houses on March 28, 2025 in Nuuk, Greenland.
Leon Neal | Getty Pictures
The Trump administration is making ready for a high-stakes assembly with Danish officers subsequent week, looking for to debate how the U.S. can purchase the world’s largest island.
The White Home has spoken steadily about taking management of Greenland within the wake of a weekend navy operation to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, elevating alarm in Europe about Washington’s territorial ambitions.
President Donald Trump, who has lengthy coveted making Greenland part of america, has mentioned the mineral-rich and sparsely populated island is integral to nationwide safety and insisted he is “very critical” about attempting to amass it.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has since urged Trump to “cease the threats,” whereas Greenland’s chief described the notion of U.S. management over the territory as a “fantasy.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned Wednesday that he intends to convene with senior authorities officers subsequent week to debate the state of affairs. It comes after a request from Denmark’s Overseas Minister Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt.
CNBC takes a have a look at 4 key points forward of the assembly.
Army motion or island buy
Talking on Wednesday, Rubio was requested by a reporter if he would withdraw the choice of utilizing the U.S. navy to take over Greenland.
“I am not right here to speak about Denmark or navy intervention,” Rubio mentioned, earlier than reiterating his plans to satisfy with Danish officers subsequent week. “We’ll have conversations with them then, however I am not including issues additional … to that at this time.”
His feedback got here because the White Home confirmed that Trump and his nationwide safety staff have been “actively” discussing a possible provide to purchase Greenland — and that whereas diplomacy has at all times been the primary choice, all choices, together with navy pressure, stay on the desk.
Trump beforehand sought to purchase Greenland in 2019 throughout his first time period as U.S. president, solely to be instructed the island was not on the market.
The prospect of U.S. navy motion in Greenland, in the meantime, triggered a powerful response from Denmark’s Frederiksen.
“I imagine that the U.S. president needs to be taken critically when he says that he desires Greenland,” Frederiksen instructed Danish broadcaster TV2 on Monday, in response to a CNBC translation.
“However I additionally need to make it clear, that if america chooses to assault one other NATO nation militarily, then every thing stops. That’s, together with our NATO and thus the safety that has been supplied for the reason that finish of the Second World Conflict,” she added.
Prime Republican and Democrat lawmakers have additionally pushed again on the thought of utilizing navy pressure to take over Greenland.
Europe’s response
European leaders, who had beforehand been reluctant to train megaphone diplomacy in protection of Greenland, modified tack earlier within the week.
“The Kingdom of Denmark – together with Greenland – is a part of NATO,” a joint letter printed by a number of European leaders mentioned on Tuesday.
“Greenland belongs to its folks. It’s for Denmark and Greenland, and them solely, to determine on issues regarding Denmark and Greenland,” they added.
Greenland’s Head of Authorities Jens-Frederik Nielsen addresses a press convention in Nuuk, Greenland, on January 5, 2026. Any US assault on a NATO ally can be the top of “every thing”, Denmark’s prime minister warned on January 5, 2026, after US President Donald Trump repeated his want to annex Greenland.
Oscar Scott Carl | Afp | Getty Pictures
Rasmus Sinding Søndergaard, senior researcher with the international coverage and diplomacy division on the Danish Institute for Worldwide Research, mentioned diplomatic engagement needs to be the first focus for European policymakers after they sit down with Rubio subsequent week.
Different avenues for European lawmakers to contemplate embrace additional strong political statements, lobbying U.S. officers who don’t need to see any navy motion in Greenland and, doubtlessly, threats of financial retaliation, Søndergaard mentioned.
He conceded, nonetheless, that there have been seemingly limitations for Europe in case of a worst-case state of affairs the place the U.S. seeks to take Greenland by pressure, citing different safety issues for European international locations, particularly Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Greenland is a territory that’s not very simply defended militarily. There may be little or no infrastructure, and it’s clearly a really massive island, so this concept of getting some kind of navy protection just isn’t actually what we’re taking a look at right here,” Søndergaard instructed CNBC’s “Europe Early Version” on Thursday.
Independence
Opinion polls have beforehand proven that Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. management, whereas a powerful majority assist independence from Denmark.
Tony Sage, CEO of Vital Metals, which is creating one of many world’s largest uncommon earth belongings in southern Greenland, mentioned one facet of the state of affairs that appears to have been ignored is that the majority Greenlanders favor independence.
“I imagine — having numerous expertise in Greenland over the past two years, personally — however our associate, who’s been there 20 years, is aware of the folks very nicely. They’re very staunch, they usually need independence,” Sage instructed CNBC’s “The China Connection” on Thursday.
“So, I imagine they may go for independence after they announce their referendum, and that is the place Denmark and the U.S. have actually received to come back to grips with the state of affairs,” he continued. “Who’s going to be the most important benefactor of that independence in the event that they, actually, do go forward with the referendum.”
Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory of round 57,000 folks, was granted higher autonomy over its affairs in 2009 via a self-government act, though Denmark stays chargeable for the island’s international and protection insurance policies.
The act additionally gave the island the suitable to carry an independence referendum. Most Greenlandic political events assist independence, though they’re cut up over the tempo with which to achieve it.
Arctic safety
In setting his sights on the huge and sparsely populated Arctic island as soon as once more, Trump steered that Russia and China pose a safety problem to the U.S. in Greenland.
“It is so strategic,” Trump instructed reporters onboard Air Drive One on Sunday. “Proper now, Greenland is roofed with Russian and Chinese language ships everywhere. We want Greenland from the standpoint of nationwide safety.”
Analysts, nonetheless, have questioned Trump’s assertion that Greenland should be acquired on nationwide safety grounds, whereas European leaders have mentioned Arctic safety is an goal that should be achieved collectively.
This photograph taken on Jan. 7, 2026 exhibits the surroundings of Aasiaat, Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Xinhua Information Company | Xinhua Information Company | Getty Pictures
Marion Messmer, director of the Worldwide Safety Programme at London’s Chatham Home suppose tank, acknowledged that it’s true to say that each Russia and China have elevated their navy actions within the Arctic in recent times — and, if Moscow launched missiles on the U.S., they might seemingly fly over Greenland.
“Nonetheless, what just isn’t clear is why Washington wants full management over Greenland to defend itself,” Messmer mentioned in a written evaluation printed Tuesday.
She cited the truth that the U.S. already has a presence at Pituffik Area Base, in addition to a decades-old protection settlement with Denmark that enables Washington to proceed to make use of it.
