Lars Løkke Rasmussen is Denmark’s minister for foreign affairs, reappointed on June 3, 2026, and the political leader of the Moderates (Moderaterne). He is a former prime minister of Denmark.
Case
Trump says a U.S.-Denmark-Greenland security agreement gives the United States permanent control over security in Greenland. Denmark and Greenland welcome an expected agreement; Denmark's prime minister cites sovereignty and self-determination. AP reports they did not confirm his specifics, and the text is unpublished.
Role at the time: Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs and political leader of Moderaterne, in a post on his own Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn profiles (his X and Instagram bios say the profiles are not kept in his ministerial capacity)
Statement summary
In a Danish-language post on his social media profiles, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wrote that next week could be a good week for Greenland, Denmark and the USA, and that a long period of uncertainty would hopefully be replaced by a binding agreement strengthening security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic, with respect for the Kingdom's red lines. The quotation is DI's English translation of the Danish original.
“Next week could be a good week… For Greenland, Denmark and the USA alike. Where a long period of uncertainty is hopefully replaced by a binding agreement that strengthens security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic and thus also our shared security in NATO and Europe - with respect for the Kingdom's red lines.”
The case's fixed reference point is President Trump's description, in his Truth Social post of 2026-09-18, of the not-yet-signed, unpublished U.S.-Denmark-Greenland agreement as giving the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland. Løkke Rasmussen welcomes the prospect of a binding agreement that strengthens Arctic and North Atlantic security, but he words it as a hope ('hopefully') and makes it 'with respect for the Kingdom's red lines', and he does not mention Trump's description. The closest competing label is defends_or_excuses, because he welcomes the prospective agreement. That loses because his welcome is hedged and tied to the red-lines condition, and he does not affirm Trump's description of permanent U.S. control.
Statement dates: September 19, 2026
Statement dates: September 19, 2026
Statement dates: September 19, 2026
