In a significant diplomatic confrontation, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has categorically refuted United States security claims regarding Chinese military presence in Greenland, directly challenging the Trump administration’s justification for potential seizure of the Arctic territory.
During an hour-long meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt confronted Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio with counter-intelligence findings. The high-level talks marked the first face-to-face engagement since Washington’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland sparked diplomatic tensions.
‘We seized the opportunity to confront this false narrative head-on,’ Rasmussen stated in a post-meeting press conference. ‘The assertion that Chinese warships operate extensively around Greenland is simply not supported by factual evidence.’
The Danish minister presented detailed intelligence indicating no Chinese naval vessels have been detected in Greenlandic waters for approximately a decade. Rasmussen further emphasized that contrary to US claims, there are no substantial Chinese investments or infrastructure projects currently operating in the autonomous Danish territory.
Despite characterizing the discussions as ‘frank and constructive,’ Rasmussen acknowledged a fundamental diplomatic impasse remains unresolved. ‘The president maintains this ambition of acquiring Greenland,’ he noted. ‘We have unequivocally communicated that such a proposition contradicts the interests and sovereignty of the Danish Kingdom.’
Greenland’s Foreign Minister Motzfeldt described the meeting as an opportunity to establish clear boundaries while expressing optimism about future diplomatic engagement. The Arctic island, which maintains self-governing status within the Kingdom of Denmark, has become increasingly strategically significant due to melting polar ice caps and emerging shipping routes.
The Trump administration has repeatedly cited expanding Chinese and Russian influence in the Arctic as primary justification for potential US acquisition of Greenland, though Danish and Greenlandic officials maintain these security concerns are substantially exaggerated.