US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) asserted that Greenland is important for American "national security", adding that if the United States does not step in, Russia and China could acquire the Arctic region. Speaking at the White House during a signing ceremony, Trump said, "We need Greenland for national security, so we are going to see what happens. We have a very good relationship with Denmark."

Trump further added that if the US refrains from asserting its interests, Russia and China are going to go in. "If we don't go in, Russia and China are going to go in. It is not a thing that Denmark can do anything about, but we can do everything about it," he added. Meanwhile, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt hold talks at the White House with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.