Denmark bows to pressure: more NATO bases in Greenland to please the US

Brussels – Talks between the United States, Greenland, and Denmark lasted less than an hour. Not long, but enough to bring two elements to light: strong US interest in the area and Denmark’s willingness to militarise it in order to appease US ambitions. US threats were used to put pressure on the talks. On his social media account Truth, US President Donald Trump wrote a few hours before the meeting that “NATO becomes much more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States. Anything less is unacceptable.”

With these words in mind, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt sat down at the negotiating table. On the other side of the table were Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. According to Danish sources, the duration of the meeting, less than an hour, should not be interpreted as a negative sign.
However, the post published on the White House’s official X account is not comforting. In the image, created with artificial intelligence, two dog sleds can choose between two paths: either the White House under a blue sky or the Kremlin and the Great Wall under a hail of lightning. The photograph was made public a few minutes after the talks ended.

Which way, Greenland man? https://t.co/G0NnJdZRJK pic.twitter.com/TLmOwst6M6

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 14, 2026

Meanwhile, Copenhagen is already mobilising to meet American security requirements. In a statement, the Danish Ministry of Defence promises “a greater military presence in Greenland and surrounding areas, with the deployment of aircraft, ships, and soldiers, including from NATO allies.”

The European Union is also demonstrating its unity. The leaders of the European Parliament, in a resolution adopted this afternoon, declared that “Decisions concerning Denmark and Greenland are the sole responsibility of Denmark and Greenland, in accordance with the relevant constitutional arrangements and agreements.”