Published on 04/06/2026 – 11:28 GMT+2
During a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that Greenland remains a priority in Washington’s strategic calculations while confirming its status within Denmark.
When questioned by Congresswoman Sarah McBride about Greenland’s political affiliation, Rubio responded succinctly: “For now.”
Greenland has been a focal point of US policy discussions since former President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in the territory, which he has repeatedly described as essential for North American security. At the Davos World Economic Forum, Trump declared that the island, he said, “is actually part of North America” and a key national security asset, warning that China or Russia might seize it if the United States does not act decisively.
Rubio told the committee that the administration is actively engaging with both Greenlandic and Danish authorities on the potential use of the island for collective defense, emphasizing its importance for missile defense capabilities.
“We’re involved in those talks right now. I think we’re in a good place on it,” he said.
During the Cold War, the United States maintained 17 military facilities and more than 10,000 troops on Greenland, but today it operates only one installation: the Pituffik Space Base, the Department of Defense’s northernmost outpost. The Space Force utilizes the base for missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance missions.
In May, Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, urged Washington to “put its footprint back” on the island, a statement that sparked significant backlash among Greenlanders who emphasized their distinct national identity.
Responding to these developments, the leaders of five political parties in Greenland’s parliament released a joint statement in January affirming, “We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes; we want to be Greenlanders.”