The big picture: Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told the outlet Jyllands-Posten on Tuesday that Denmark would spend a "double-digit billion amount" in krone equivalent to at least $1.5 billion on the self-ruled territory that's part of its kingdom to ensure a "stronger presence" in the Arctic.

Since his first term, President-elect Donald Trump has insisted that the United States should purchase Greenland - to the bewilderment of aides asked to investigate such a possibility, and despite repeated denials by top officials in Greenland and Denmark, of which the island is an autonomous territory, that it would ever be for sale at any price.