Vance Takes Lead on Greenland Talks, Denmark Says U.S. Won’t Back Down

European diplomats interpret his role as a shift toward a transactional approach.

Overview

On January 14 in Washington, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland to discuss the island’s future.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark could not persuade the United States to drop its aim of bringing Greenland under U.S. control.
Politico, citing diplomats, reported that European officials were alarmed by Vance’s involvement, with one unnamed envoy saying “Vance hates us” and calling him a “tough guy.”
Analyst Nikolai Novik said Vance’s presence signals raised stakes and a possible turn from diplomatic dialogue to a business deal.
Experts point to access to the Pituffik (Thule) air base and control over critical mineral deposits as the central points of contention.