Denmark denies Greenland deal amid Trump claims

Thursday 29 January 2026 - 17:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Denmark denies Greenland deal amid Trump claims

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen firmly rejected claims of a NATO-US agreement over Greenland, directly challenging statements from US President Donald Trump at the Davos World Economic Forum. In an interview with France 2, she stressed that no such deal exists and emphasized the need to respect Greenland's sovereignty and the right to self-determination.

Tensions have escalated into the most serious transatlantic rift in years, with European leaders rallying behind Denmark as the Trump administration pushes for a NATO overhaul. Representatives from the United States, Denmark, and Greenland launched a working group in Washington on Wednesday to discuss Arctic security issues, despite deep underlying disagreements. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that technical talks are underway and will proceed regularly, expressing confidence in reaching common ground.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen struck a cautiously optimistic note, describing recent discussions as constructive and signaling a return to dialogue. Copenhagen, however, insists Greenland's sovereignty remains off the table. French President Emmanuel Macron, hosting Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen in Paris, called the situation a strategic wake-up call for Europe, urging a focus on European sovereignty and Arctic security contributions.

Trump's pursuit of Greenland has rattled NATO, marked by recent tariff threats against eight European allies and hints at military options, later withdrawn on January 21 after claims of a framework deal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte; Danish and Greenlandic officials deny any such agreement. Rubio pressed Congress on rethinking NATO, citing insufficient European defense spending and arguing the alliance lacks purpose without US involvement. Tensions peaked last week when Trump criticized NATO troops in Afghanistan as holding back from the front lines, prompting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to label the remarks insulting; Trump later praised British forces as brave warriors.

Frederiksen warned that the old world order has ended, questioning long-term US commitment to Europe and calling for immediate defense spending hikes beyond NATO's 2035 target of 5% of GDP. She described past European military budget cuts as a major mistake during her Paris address. As trilateral talks continue amid strained European unity, the Greenland crisis's resolution hangs in balance; Frederiksen cautioned that any military action against the territory would undermine decades of post-World War II progress.