US Vice President JD Vance has claimed that European allies are privately more 'reasonable' about Donald Trump's interest in Greenland, despite public hostility. Speaking to the Washington Examiner, Vance said the defiant rhetoric from European leaders was merely 'posturing' to appear tough against Trump.
Vance, who supports Trump's view that US control of Greenland is necessary for national security, alleged that Danish officials privately acknowledged the US would need to play a leading role in defending the island. 'There is a broad recognition that much of what we said about Greenland is actually true,' he said, contrasting private negotiations with public statements.
However, European leaders have publicly condemned Trump's ambitions. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, French President Emmanuel Macron accused the US of 'useless aggressivity' and 'new imperialism', while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen threatened proportional retaliation. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also warned the UK 'will not yield'.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has reinforced Greenland's sovereignty, stating, 'We cannot negotiate about our sovereignty.' She has mobilised additional troops on the island and called for a greater European role in Arctic defence.
Despite Trump rolling back some rhetoric after a reported 'framework' agreement, Vance repeated disputed claims of a threat from Russia and China, arguing that Greenland falling into their hands would weaken US missile defence and power projection.
