January 6th, 2026 - Rubio Says President Trump Is Pursuing a Deal to Acquire Greenland

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers this week that President Trump’s preferred approach toward Greenland is acquisition through purchase rather than military action, according to U.S. officials. At the same time, President Trump has directed aides to prepare an updated plan outlining options for acquiring the strategically vital Arctic territory.

Mr. Rubio made the comments during a closed-door briefing with members of Congress from the armed services and foreign policy committees. Although the meeting was focused primarily on Venezuela, lawmakers pressed for clarification after recent public remarks by President Trump and senior adviser Stephen Miller raised questions about U.S. intentions toward Greenland.

Mr. Rubio did not provide details on how a purchase might work, but officials said President Trump views Greenland through a strategic and economic lens shaped by his long experience as a dealmaker. President Trump has expressed interest in Greenland since his first term, seeing its location and resources as central to American security in the Arctic.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and a sparsely populated region with growing geopolitical importance. Denmark, a NATO ally, has exercised sovereignty over the island for centuries while gradually expanding local self-rule. Its Arctic position has taken on new urgency as Russia and China increase their activity in the region.

On Tuesday, Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, joined leaders from six NATO countries in issuing a joint statement rejecting the idea of a U.S. takeover. The statement emphasized sovereignty and territorial integrity, framing the issue as one for Denmark and Greenland to decide. The unusually unified response underscored unease among some European allies.

Still, the White House made clear that President Trump views Greenland as a national security priority. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is reviewing multiple options to protect U.S. interests in the Arctic and deter adversaries, stressing that all tools available to the commander in chief remain on the table.

President Trump has argued that Greenland is increasingly exposed to foreign influence and has pointed to its untapped reserves of critical minerals as essential to American economic and defense planning. The administration’s National Security Strategy prioritizes dominance in the Western Hemisphere and Arctic security, a theme reinforced by recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and President Trump’s broader push to secure strategic territory and resources for the United States.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Loll (verb, LAHL) - Loll most often means “to droop or hang loosely.” It can also mean “to act or move in a relaxed or lazy manner.”

Example: We’re counting down the days until the weather will be warm enough again to laze and loll by the pool.

Image credit: Unsplash