PARIS/BERLIN/WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on January 7 that he would meet Denmark's leaders next week, even as he hinted the US was not stepping back from President Donald Trump's aim to take over Greenland.

Alarmed allies, including France and Germany, were working on a response.

Rubio told reporters that Trump retained the option to address his objective by military means.

Still, "as a diplomat, which is what I am now, and what we work on, we always prefer to settle it in different ways - that included in Venezuela," he said when asked if the U.S. was willing to potentially endanger the U.S.-led NATO military alliance with a forcible takeover of Greenland.

If the U.S. tried to take the mineral-rich Arctic island of Greenland from Denmark, a long-time ally, it would shock NATO and worsen tensions between Trump and European leaders.

This idea has also faced opposition in the U.S. Congress. Both Democratic and Republican senators said they expect the Senate to vote on a bill to limit Trump's power to try to seize Greenland.

Greenland lies between Europe and North America, making it essential for U.S. missile defense. It also contains valuable minerals, which aligns with U.S. plans to rely less on China.

Trump first suggested taking control of Greenland in 2019, during his first term. He says it is essential for U.S. security and that Denmark has not done enough to protect it. However, two treaties signed in 1951 and 2023 already give the U.S. military wide access to the island.

The White House said Trump is discussing ways to acquire Greenland, including possibly using the military, despite objections from Europe. Other officials said buying the island is the primary goal. Senator Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a private briefing that the plan was to purchase Greenland, according to two sources.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump and his national security team are actively talking about a possible purchase, adding that diplomacy is always Trump's first choice.

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell criticized the idea, saying threats or force against a close ally would seriously harm the U.S. and its global influence.

Leaders from major European countries and Canada have said Greenland belongs to its people and supported Denmark. Britain said Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Trump and made clear he stands with Denmark. France said it would discuss the issue with Germany and Poland. A German official said European countries are working closely with Denmark on the next steps.

A senior European official said Denmark should lead the response, but that Denmark has not yet told its allies what kind of support it wants.