Greenland's prime minister said on Tuesday (January 13) his nation would rather remain part of Denmark than become a territory of the United States, amid President Donald Trump's push to take control of the Arctic island.

The Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers will meet U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday (January 14) after Trump recently stepped up threats to take over Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.

But Greenland was not for sale and did not want to join the U.S., the island's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told a joint press conference in Copenhagen with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

While Denmark has ruled Greenland for centuries, the territory has gradually been moving towards independence since 1979, a goal shared by all political parties elected to the island's parliament.

It was not immediately clear if Tuesday's statement signalled a permanent shift of policy.

Trump has said Greenland is vital to U.S. security and the United States must own it to prevent Russia or China occupying the strategically located and minerals-rich territory in the future.

White House officials have been discussing various plans to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including potential use of the U.S. military and lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Vivian Motzfeldt, had requested a meeting with Rubio in the wake of Trump's comments.

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Greenland PM prefers Denmark over the U.S. ahead of Vance meeting

VIDEO SHOWS: DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, AND GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER, JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, SPEAKING AT PRESS CONFERENCE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (JANUARY 13, 2026)(REUTERS – Access all)

1. DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, AND GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER, JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER, JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, SAYING:

“First of all, I would like to reiterate, Greenland is not for sale. Today we have discussed our cooperation between Greenland and Denmark. I must emphasise that Greenland is part of the Kingdom. We are a constitutional state based on democratic values and we have self-government under the Kingdom of Denmark. The situation is very, very, very serious, and the geopolitical interests have put a huge amount of pressure on our country and its people.”

3. VARIOUS OF NIELSEN ADDRESSING PRESS CONFERENCE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER, JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, SAYING:

“Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA. Greenland does not want to be governed by the USA. Greenland will not be part of the USA. We choose the Greenland we know today, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Now we are faced with a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the USA and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO, we choose the Kingdom of Denmark, we choose the EU. This is not the time for internal discussions and division. This is the time to stand together and build on the community we know and we want.”

5. NIELSEN ADDRESSING PRESS CONFERENCE

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) GREENLANDIC PRIME MINISTER, JENS-FREDERIK NIELSEN, SAYING:

“Greenland, as part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is a member of NATO. We have great confidence in the NATO alliance and know that NATO supports us in this situation. But the support from Europe and Denmark is absolutely crucial in this specific situation.”

7. NIELSEN AND FREDERIKSEN LISTENING TO QUESTION

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, SAYING:

“It has not been easy to stand up to completely unacceptable pressure from our closest allies for a lifetime. But there is much to suggest that the hardest part is now ahead of us.”

9. FREDERIKSEN ADDRESSING PRESS CONFERENCE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, SAYING:

“This is not just about Greenland or the Kingdom. It is about not being able to change borders by force, not being able to buy another people, and it is about small countries not having to fear big countries. That is why we are clearly speaking out. And that is why many allies are doing the same, in the Nordic countries, in Europe and in the rest of the world.”

11. FREDERIKSEN ADDRESSING PRESS CONFERENCE

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Danish) DANISH PRIME MINISTER, METTE FREDERIKSEN, SAYING:

“And tomorrow Greenland and Denmark will meet with the United States. We come together. We stay together and we go together. We want to engage in dialogue and we want to cooperate. We are not looking for conflict, but our message is clear. Greenland is not for sale.”

13. FREDERIKSEN ADDRESSING PRESS CONFERENCE