House Speaker Mike Johnson attends a news conference following a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Juliette Pavy/Bloomberg;Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
"Look, there are negotiations. There is interest in Greenland. For U.S. interests, America’s first interest," Johnson said.
"It has to do with national security and critical minerals and many other reasons. And we’ve long acknowledged that," he added.
Trump has made acquiring Greenland a key strategic and national security objective, warning last week that if the United States does not acquire the territory, superpowers Russia or China could move in.
He said Sunday the U.S. must acquire Greenland — not lease it — arguing the Arctic territory lacks adequate defenses and warning that Russia or China would move in if Washington does not act, a move he said is critical to U.S. and NATO security.
Greenland has rejected Trump’s repeated advances, and on Tuesday the island’s prime minister said the country would prefer to remain part of Denmark rather than become a U.S. territory.
"We face a geopolitical crisis, and if we have to choose between the U.S. and Denmark here and now then we choose Denmark," Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said while appearing alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at a joint press conference in Copenhagen.
TRUMP ADMIN REPORTEDLY CONSIDERS PAYING EACH GREENLAND RESIDENT UP TO $100K AMID US TAKEOVER TALKS
Danish troops practice looking for potential threats during a military drill in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)
The developments also come as Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, are expected to meet Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance at the White House, according to Reuters.
Fox News’ Greg Norman and Landon Mion, as well as Reuters contributed to this report.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.
You can send tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @M_Dorgan.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/johnson-no-boots-ground-trumps-greenland-acquisition-plans-amid-military-speculation