U.S. Secretary of State Rubio says he’ll meet with Denmark amid European alarm over Greenland rhetoric

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday mentioned that he would meet with Denmark subsequent week, as U.S. President Donald Trump has repeated in latest days that he desires to realize management of Greenland.

"If the president identifies a risk to the nationwide safety of the USA, each president retains the choice to deal with it by means of navy means. As a diplomat, which is what I'm now, and what we work on, we at all times choose to settle it in numerous methods — that included in Venezuela," Rubio informed reporters when requested if the U.S. was keen to doubtlessly danger the NATO alliance by transferring forward with a navy possibility.

Rubio didn't specify which officers he would meet with, however Denmark's Overseas Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, mentioned Tuesday that they had requested an pressing assembly with Rubio to debate the state of affairs. Rasmussen referred to as for "wise dialogue."

A U.S. navy seizure of Greenland from longtime ally Denmark would ship shock waves by means of the NATO alliance and deepen the divide between Trump and European leaders.

White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday mentioned Trump and his advisers had been "discussing a variety of choices" concerning Greenland and that "using the U.S. navy is at all times an possibility on the commander-in-chief's disposal."

Individually, White Home adviser Stephen Miller and a few Republicans in Congress have disputed Denmark's territorial declare to Greenland.

Home Speaker downplays speak of navy motion Republican Home Speaker Mike Johnson, in his weekly briefing in Washington on Wednesday, dismissed the spectre of navy power.

"All these items about navy motion and all that, I do not even suppose that is a chance," he mentioned. "I don’t suppose anyone significantly is contemplating that. And within the Congress, we're actually not."

When requested to sq. his feedback with these of Leavitt the day past, Johnson replied, "I am not gonna take a thousand 'gotcha' questions this morning attempting to pit me towards the White Home."

Leavitt added on Wednesday that "the president's first at all times has been diplomacy." However Leavitt then pointed to the failure of diplomacy with Venezuela resulting in final week's seizure of autocrat Nicolás Maduro, at the same time as Washington has lengthy thought of Venezuela an adversary, whereas Denmark and the U.S. are a part of the NATO alliance.

WATCH | Greenland MP says it is not a time to panic but: 'This is not new': Greenland opposition MP reacts to U.S. annexation threats

Greenland MP and opposition chief Pele Broberg responds to renewed U.S. threats to amass Greenland by advocating for direct negotiations with the Trump administration: 'We wish independence. They need safety. Is there something to realize from each of us?' European governments are engaged on a plan on reply ought to the USA act on its risk to take over Greenland, French Overseas Minister Jean-Noel Barrot mentioned in an interview with France Inte radio. Barrot was assembly with counterparts in Germany and Poland on Wednesday.

Leaders from main European powers in addition to Canada have rallied behind Greenland this week, saying the Arctic island belongs to its folks, following a renewed risk by Trump to take over the territory.

Historic treaty permits for extra U.S. bases Trump in latest days repeated that he desires to realize management of Greenland, an thought first voiced in 2019 throughout his first presidency. He argues the island is essential for U.S. navy technique and claims Denmark has not finished sufficient to guard it.

The second Trump administration's aggressive statements have induced confusion and consternation, as a 1951 settlement between the U.S. and Denmark provides Washington the suitable to maneuver round freely and assemble navy bases in Greenland so long as Denmark and Greenland are notified.

WATCH | On Greenland's strategic significance (from Jan. 2025): What's with Trump’s obsession with Greenland? | About That

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has lengthy been fascinated with proudly owning and controlling Greenland, spanning from his curiosity in shopping for the nation in 2019, to his latest refusal to rule out taking it by navy power. Andrew Chang explores 4 potential explanation why Trump calls possession of Greenland 'an absolute necessity.'

Photographs offered by Getty Photographs, Reuters and The Canadian Press. Leavitt burdened Wednesday that Trump will not be the primary U.S. president to inquire about buying the territory, although Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly mentioned the island will not be on the market.

The U.S. navy maintains a everlasting presence at Pituffik airbase in northwest Greenland. Because the world's largest island with a inhabitants of solely 57,000 folks, Greenland will not be an unbiased member of NATO however is roofed by Denmark's membership within the Western alliance.

The island is strategically situated between Europe and North America, making it a important web site for the U.S. ballistic missile defence system for many years. Its mineral wealth additionally aligns with Washington's ambition to cut back reliance on China.

Trump has repeatedly mentioned Russian and Chinese language vessels are stalking waters round Greenland, which Denmark disputes.

<img loading="lazy" alt="Armed soldiers in camouflage are shown above a rise, with snow behind them." srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/d2ece56f-893a-4cb3-a89b-ce0cde29caf9,1767788667449/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5726%2C3816%29%3BResize%3D805 805w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/d2ece56f-893a-4cb3-a89b-ce0cde29caf9,1767788667449/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5726%2C3816%29%3BResize%3D1104 1104w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/d2ece56f-893a-4cb3-a89b-ce0cde29caf9,1767788667449/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5726%2C3816%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 93.6vw,730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/d2ece56f-893a-4cb3-a89b-ce0cde29caf9,1767788667449/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C5726%2C3816%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.500524109014675" data-cy="image-img"/> Danish troops practise on the lookout for potential threats throughout a navy drill as Danish, Swedish and Norwegian house guard items, along with Danish, German and French troops, took half in joint navy drills in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters) "The picture that is being painted of Russian and Chinese language ships proper contained in the Nuuk fjord and big Chinese language investments being made will not be appropriate," Rasmussen informed reporters late on Tuesday.