The spectre of a US acquisition of Greenland has intensified, with Donald Trump's special envoy to the territory declaring a deal 'should and will be made'. The statement comes as a high-level US congressional delegation arrived in Copenhagen in a show of solidarity with Denmark against the former president's threats.
Envoy's Bold Declaration and Congressional Solidarity Mission
Governor Jeff Landry, appointed by Trump as his envoy on Greenland, stated unequivocally that the US president 'is serious' about acquiring the vast, largely autonomous Danish territory. In an interview with Fox News on Friday, 16 January 2026, Landry said he planned to visit Greenland in March and that the markers had been laid down for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance to finalise an agreement.
His comments coincided with the arrival in the Danish capital of a bipartisan group of 11 US senators and representatives. The delegation, which included Republican senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski and Democratic senator Chris Coons, met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen. The Greenlandic flag was flown at Christiansborg Palace for the occasion, symbolising the gravity of the discussions.
Democratic congressman Steny Hoyer, arriving for a lunch meeting, sought to reassure allies, telling TV 2: 'Keep the faith. You've got a lot of people with you.'
Contradictory Accounts and Growing Fear in Nuuk
The diplomatic situation remains fraught with conflicting narratives. Following a high-stakes meeting on Wednesday between US officials Rubio and Vance and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland, the two sides presented starkly different accounts.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed on Thursday that the Danish and Greenlandic delegation had agreed to 'continue to have technical talks on the acquisition of Greenland'. This was firmly contradicted by Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt.
Løkke Rasmussen stated they had not agreed to such talks but had instead formed a working group to explore accommodating US security interests in the Arctic. Motzfeldt emphasised Leavitt was not present at the meeting and told Sermitsiaq newspaper: '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.'
Meanwhile, in Greenland's capital, Nuuk, residents reported living in fear. With little guidance from authorities on emergency preparedness, many said they were watching the skies and seas themselves, formulating personal plans for potential evacuation or capture by US forces.
Denmark Bolsters Support and Nato Allies Mobilise
In response to the escalating crisis, the Danish government announced it would provide support to Greenland's emergency preparedness. Torsten Schack Pedersen, Denmark's minister for public safety, stressed the importance of standing together, a sentiment echoed by Greenland's minister Peter Borg.
The situation has also triggered a Nato-wide response. Prime Minister Frederiksen affirmed that Greenland's defence was a common concern for the alliance. International troops have begun arriving in Greenland from across Europe, and a German defence ministry spokesperson confirmed on Friday that a reconnaissance mission was assessing the viability of deploying Eurofighter jets to the territory.
'It is a matter of looking at whether the Arctic is secure and to what extent we can contribute to this together with our Nato partners,' the spokesperson said. This mobilisation underscores the geopolitical stakes as Trump's administration pushes forward with its controversial Arctic ambitions.
