Trump Revives Greenland Push, Puts Military And Purchase Options On The Table
The island holds substantial reserves of rare earth minerals critical to defence and clean energy supply chains — things the US sees as increasingly important amid competition with Russia and China.
The White House has confirmed that US President Donald Trump is once again exploring ways for the United States to acquire Greenland. This includes options that range from diplomacy and financial arrangements to the possible use of military power. The move revives a long-dormant but controversial ambition that Trump first aired in 2019, and has already triggered sharp resistance from European allies.
According to the White House, Trump views Greenland as a strategic national security asset, essential to deterring rivals in the Arctic and protecting U.S. defence interests. In a key development, The Wall Street Journal reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a classified briefing that the administration’s goal is to buy Greenland from Denmark.
Officials said the president and his advisers are discussing 'a range of options' to pursue the objective, stressing that diplomacy remains the preferred route — though military action has not been ruled out.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the U.S. 'absolutely' needs Greenland for defence and suggested the issue would move back to the forefront of his agenda within weeks.
The renewed focus comes days after U.S. forces detained Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, an operation that officials say has emboldened Trump’s broader push to reassert American dominance across key strategic regions.
Greenland and Denmark have reacted quite swiftly. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, warned Washington to end what he called fantasies of annexation, while European leaders and Canada publicly backed the island’s right to decide its own future. Any attempt to seize Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally, would send shockwaves through the alliance and deepen existing transatlantic tensions.
Behind closed doors, U.S. officials say Trump’s team is weighing several pathways. These include an outright purchase of the island or a Compact of Free Association, which would stop short of making Greenland part of the United States but grant Washington significant strategic influence.
Strategically, Greenland hosts the U.S. military’s Pituffik Space Base and sits along the shortest route between Europe and North America, making it vital to missile early-warning systems. The island also holds substantial reserves of rare earth minerals critical to defence and clean energy supply chains — resources Washington sees as increasingly important amid competition with Russia and China.
