US, Denmark and Greenland Begin Talks on Arctic Security Deal Amid Trump’s Greenland Remarks

Technical talks between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland have begun to explore an Arctic security agreement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday.

The discussions follow the creation of a joint working group by Denmark and Greenland earlier this month during meetings in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Rubio. The group aims to resolve differences with the US, especially after President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for Washington to take over Greenland to counter Russian and Chinese influence.

Those remarks were strongly rejected by Denmark, Greenland, and European allies, who stressed that Greenland’s sovereignty is non-negotiable.

“It begins today and it will be a regular process,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He added that the talks would be kept low-profile to avoid media pressure and allow more flexibility.

Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said the talks focused on addressing US security concerns in the Arctic while respecting Denmark’s “red lines,” referring to Greenland’s status.

Trump’s renewed annexation rhetoric in recent weeks strained US-European relations. Earlier this month, he threatened tariffs on Denmark and several other European countries that opposed his position but later dropped them after a framework deal on access to Greenland’s mineral resources was reached with NATO’s help.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Trump also said he would not use military force to acquire Greenland. His softer tone followed market losses and fears that the dispute could damage NATO and trigger a trade war.

Rubio sought to downplay tensions with Europe, saying relations were moving in a positive direction.

During the Senate hearing, Rubio also addressed Trump’s repeated references to Greenland as Iceland at Davos, calling it a verbal slip and comparing it to past presidential misstatements.