Trump says Greenland must be American: Inside the 2026 Washington Summit

The meeting is set, but the terms are worlds apart. Today, January 14, 2026, US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are hosting high-level talks at the White House. The objective? The future of Greenland. This isn't just a courtesy visit; it's a high-stakes showdown over national sovereignty and Arctic dominance.

Trump Greenland acquisition summit 2026: Security vs Sovereignty

Donald Trump has made his intentions crystal clear: he doesn't want to lease Greenland; he wants to own it. According to reports from Reuters, the President views the island as a critical asset for national security, fearing that China or Russia will fill any vacuum left by the West. His recent rhetoric about taking it "the easy way or the hard way" has sent shockwaves through Nuuk and Copenhagen.

Greenlanders aren't backing down. Polls show 85% of the population rejects any US takeover. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, warned that any forced change in control would effectively end the transatlantic alliance. The island, while semi-autonomous, remains under the Danish crown, and Denmark views Trump's territorial ambitions as a direct threat to international law.

NATO's 'Arctic Sentry' Proposal

To de-escalate, Germany and the UK are pitching a military compromise. They've proposed the creation of a "NATO Arctic Sentry," a maritime task force designed to protect underwater internet cables and energy pipelines. By boosting NATO's presence, European allies hope to satisfy Washington's security concerns without redrawing the global map.