Denmark rejects US Greenland offer after Washington meeting

Denmark and the United States remain fundamentally divided over Greenland's future after a meeting in Washington, D.C. on January 15, 2026. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the countries have a 'fundamental disagreement' following over an hour of talks at the White House, with the U.S. reiterating its desire to take control of Greenland and Denmark and Greenland categorically rejecting any transfer. The only concrete outcome was an agreement to form a high-level working group, with its first meeting scheduled within weeks. According to reports, the group will focus on addressing U.S. security concerns while respecting Denmark's red lines. Hours after the meeting, President Donald Trump repeated his claim that the U.S. 'needs' Greenland for security reasons and asserted Denmark could not defend it. Concurrently, several European countries reportedly began deploying military personnel to Greenland.