In a normal world, the White House meeting Wednesday between top officials from Denmark, Greenland and the United States could be said to have gone well. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had cordial discussions with the visiting dignitaries of allied nations. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen even told reporters afterward that he understood some of America's security concerns around Greenland, given how climate change is opening the Arctic, rapidly transforming historical ice sheets into navigable waterways.
The same can't be said for Trump. The president's focus on Greenland increasingly appears to be an obsession, particularly as he reiterates his demands in the face of widespread criticism.
In Trump's first term, Denmark rejected Trump's wish to purchase Greenland. It has continued to hold firm against the notion of a sale. There has been discussion in Greenland over the years about whether to seek independence. But Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Tuesday his country would rather stay put than become part of the United States.
Denmark's defiance hasn't gone over well with Trump, who's only grown more bellicose since his successful move to oust Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. During a White House event last week, Trump said the U.S. would "do something on Greenland whether they like it or not." He added, "I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
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