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President Trump and his administration are openly discussing multiple strategies for acquiring control of Greenland, including the potential use of military force, the White House confirmed Tuesday. In an official statement, the administration emphasized that U.S. control over Greenland is essential for Western security and refused to rule out military action to achieve this objective.
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House stated.
Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s strategic Arctic location and abundant natural resources must be under American control to ensure U.S. and NATO security. According to The Wall Street Journal, Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers during a briefing that the administration is developing a plan to purchase Greenland from Denmark. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told CNN that while military force remains an option, it may be unnecessary because “nobody’s going to fight the United States over the future of Greenland.”
The controversy intensified following the January 3 arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas. In response, leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement Tuesday reaffirming respect for Greenland and Denmark’s sovereignty. “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the statement declared.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any attack on Greenland would effectively end NATO.
Greenland, a former Danish colony, relies on Copenhagen for foreign and defense policy and is not an independent NATO member. The island hosts the strategically important Pituffik Space Base, but Trump’s rhetoric has damaged U.S.-Greenland relations, with recent elections dominated by candidates opposing American influence.
Denmark has responded by strengthening its military presence in the region, announcing a $2.3 billion defense agreement with Greenland and the Faroe Islands last year. The package includes three new Arctic naval vessels, enhanced satellite capacity, and two long-range surveillance drones.
The Trump administration justifies its position by citing Greenland’s strategic value for monitoring North Atlantic shipping and its vast deposits of rare earth minerals, critical for advanced technology production.
Analysts predict melting Arctic ice will create new shipping routes, potentially benefiting Russia and China. The administration views developing rare earth infrastructure as crucial to countering China’s market dominance in these essential materials.
Read more: White House says use of military force to acquire Greenland ’always an option’
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