President Donald Trump has said the United States needs to “own” Greenland to prevent Russia and China from gaining a foothold on the Arctic island, escalating tensions with Denmark and Nato allies.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump dismissed the idea of leasing the territory, arguing that ownership was essential for defence. “Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland,” he said, responding to a question from the BBC.
He added that the US would achieve its goal “the easy way” or “the hard way”. The White House has confirmed that the administration is considering buying the semi-autonomous territory from Denmark, a fellow Nato member, while not ruling out annexation by force.
Denmark and Greenland have both made clear that the island is not for sale. Copenhagen has warned that any military action would effectively end the transatlantic defence alliance.
Trump doubles down on Greenland’s strategic importance
Despite being the world’s most sparsely populated territory, Greenland occupies a critical position between North America and the Arctic. Its location makes it valuable for early warning systems against missile attacks and for monitoring naval activity in the region.
Trump has repeatedly framed the island as central to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.
The US already maintains a military presence in Greenland, with more than 100 personnel stationed at the Pituffik base on the island’s north-western tip. The facility has been operated by the US since World War Two, and existing agreements with Denmark allow Washington to deploy additional troops if it chooses.
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However, Trump insisted that current arrangements fall short. “Countries can’t make nine-year deals or even 100-year deals,” he said, adding that they needed full ownership.
“I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia,” Trump said. “But I don’t want them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to happen.”
“And by the way Nato’s got to understand that,” he added.
Nato allies rally behind Denmark and Greenland
Denmark’s Nato allies, including major European powers and Canada, have issued statements backing Copenhagen and Greenland, stressing that “only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations.”
While acknowledging shared concerns over Arctic security, they said this must be handled by allies, including the US, “collectively.” They also called for “upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders”.
The renewed focus on Greenland has come amid wider international unease following Trump’s use of military force in Venezuela on Saturday to seize President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term, but the proposal was swiftly rejected.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold talks with Denmark next week as diplomatic efforts continue.
Resources, climate change and Greenlandic opposition
Interest in Greenland has grown in recent years as climate change accelerates ice melt, making access to natural resources easier. The island is believed to hold significant reserves of rare earth minerals, uranium and iron, and scientists say it could also contain substantial oil and gas deposits.
On Friday night, Greenland’s political leaders, including those in opposition, issued a joint statement criticising Washington’s stance.
They reiterated their call for the “US’s disregard for our country to end.”
“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” they said. “The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
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