The geopolitical tension over Greenland's future has intensified, with Donald Trump's special envoy to the territory declaring that a deal for the United States to take control of the island "should and will be made". The bold statement from Governor Jeff Landry comes as a high-level US congressional delegation undertook a show of support in Copenhagen, countering the former president's threats of military intervention.
A Show of Solidarity and Conflicting Accounts
On Friday 16th January 2026, a bipartisan group of 11 US senators and representatives, including Republican senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski and Democratic senator Chris Coons, arrived in the Danish capital. Their mission was to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen, demonstrating solidarity against the acquisition threats. The Greenlandic flag, Erfalasorput, was flown at Christiansborg Palace for the occasion.
However, accounts of a pivotal meeting earlier in the week between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice-President JD Vance, and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland were starkly contradictory. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, claimed on Thursday that the Danish-Greenlandic delegation had agreed to "continue to have technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland".
This was directly contradicted by the foreign ministers involved. Denmark's Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated they had instead formed a working group to explore accommodating US security interests in the Arctic. Greenland's Vivian Motzfeldt emphasised Leavitt was not present and told local paper Sermitsiaq, "There is a lot of work ahead, the situation is still very uncertain, but we have a new channel, a place where we can talk directly to each other."
Fear on the Ground and International Mobilisation
In Greenland's capital, Nuuk, residents reported living in fear, watching the skies and seas themselves due to a perceived lack of concrete emergency plans from authorities. Many have been left to formulate personal plans for potential evacuation or capture by US forces.
In response to the crisis, Denmark has announced support for Greenland's emergency preparedness. Torsten Schack Pedersen, Denmark’s minister for public safety, stated, "It is important that we stand together." Greenland's minister for fisheries and environment, Peter Borg, said his government "appreciates the support from Denmark to strengthen preparedness in Greenland".
The situation has also triggered a wider NATO response. Prime Minister Frederiksen affirmed that Greenland's defence was a "common concern" for the alliance, as international troops began arriving from across Europe. A German defence ministry spokesperson confirmed a reconnaissance mission to assess deploying Eurofighter jets to the territory, stating, "It is a matter of looking at whether the Arctic is secure."
The Unwavering US Position
Amidst these diplomatic and military movements, the US position, as articulated by Trump's envoy, remains unequivocal. Speaking to Fox News, Governor Jeff Landry said, "I do believe that there’s a deal that should and will be made once this plays out." He confirmed his plan to visit Greenland in March and asserted that "the president is serious" about acquiring the largely autonomous Danish territory. Landry indicated the matter now rested with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance to finalise a deal.
As the US lawmakers concluded their visit, Democrat Steny Hoyer offered a message of reassurance to Denmark, telling TV 2, "Keep the faith. You’ve got a lot of people with you." Yet, with envoy Landry's uncompromising stance and military assets moving into the region, the future of Greenland hangs in a precarious balance between diplomatic negotiation and escalating threat.
