European allies urgently seek talks over Greenland amid Trump threats

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Jan 7, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

European allies Wednesday asked for urgent talks over Greenland with Secretary of State Marco Rubio after President Donald Trump ramped up threats to seize the Danish territory after the U.S. attack on Venezuela.

Denmark and Greenland itself asked for the meeting with the top American diplomat a day after NATO allies rebuked the Trump administration for suggesting it could seize or somehow buy the vast Arctic island, which is an autonomous overseas territory of Denmark.

“Greenland belongs to its people,” Denmark said in a statement joined by five fellow NATO allies including heavyweights Britain, France and Germany. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

White House officials have repeatedly refused to rule out military action to take control of Greenland by force and Trump has recently doubled down on his argument that the U.S. needs Greenland to ensure its own security in the face of supposed rising threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.

Rubio told senators in a closed-door meeting that the administration hopes to buy Greenland, not seize it militarily, although he didn’t get into details.

Denmark and Greenland reject any purchase proposal or military takeover, saying that it’s up to the approximately 30,000 people of Greenland to decide its future in a democratic manner.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a U.S. seizure of Greenland would lead to the collapse of the NATO military alliance. NATO’s Article 5 says an attack against one member is an attack against all but doesn’t address what would happen if the attacker is also a member of the alliance.

Trump has occasionally discussed seizing Greenland since his first term but few initially took his threats seriously.

The U.S. attack on Venezuela and his claim that the U.S. will “run” that nation indefinitely put the issue of Greenland back on the front burner.

Trump and his advisers in recent days have reiterated his demand for control over Greenland, which sits northeast of Canada amid the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America.

“It’s so strategic,” Trump told reporters Sunday.

While some Republicans have backed Trump on Greenland, military action would likely be highly controversial.

Sen.Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, joined Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, in blasting his bellicose rhetoric against Denmark, a longtime loyal Western ally.

“Any suggestion that our nation would subject a fellow NATO ally to coercion or external pressure undermines the very principles of self-determination that our alliance exists to defend,” said the two lawmakers who chair the bipartisan Senate NATO Observer Group.

_____