White House: Acquiring Greenland a Key U.S. National Security Priority

Washington, Jan 16: The White House on Thursday reaffirmed President Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland, calling the move essential for “national security” and to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence in the strategically important Arctic territory.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “The President has made his priority quite clear. He wants the United States to acquire Greenland. He thinks it is in our best national security interests to do that.”

The remarks came after high-level discussions in Washington involving U.S., Danish, and Greenlandic officials, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to explore Trump’s stated ambition. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the talks ended with a “fundamental disagreement,” noting that the U.S. position remained unchanged.

Despite the stalemate, the two sides agreed to form a high level working group to conduct technical discussions on the matter, expected to meet every two to three weeks. The group will focus on addressing U.S. security concerns while respecting Denmark’s territorial integrity and Greenlandic self determination.

Rasmussen emphasized that any acquisition plan that undermines Denmark’s sovereignty or Greenlanders’ rights is “totally unacceptable.” He also noted there is no immediate threat from Russia or China necessitating U.S. control of Greenland.

The U.S. interest in Greenland stems from its strategic Arctic location, vast mineral resources, and growing concerns about Russian and Chinese activities in the region. Denmark and several European allies are simultaneously planning troop deployments to Greenland to reinforce security.

Leavitt described the meetings as “productive,” highlighting that discussions would continue with the Danish and Greenlandic delegations, even as President Trump maintains his push for the acquisition.