Trump Escalates Pursuit of Greenland Acquisition
President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to acquire Greenland, refusing to rule out military force and directing the White House to study costs of making it a U.S. territory, according to The Washington Post.
The administration’s concrete steps toward potentially acquiring the Danish territory have sparked intense international backlash, with Denmark and Greenland’s leadership firmly rejecting American overtures and declaring the self-governing island “not for sale.”
White House Develops Acquisition Plans
Administration officials are preparing detailed cost analyses of governing Greenland as a U.S. territory, examining expenses for providing services to its 58,000 residents. These efforts represent the most tangible steps yet toward fulfilling Trump’s long-held desire to control the Arctic island.
“If we acquire it, then what does it cost us to take care of these people as part of our Arctic umbrella?” an administration official told The Washington Post. The same source indicated Trump views Greenland as “the easiest” of various potential territorial acquisitions he has suggested.
In February, Republican Congressman Buddy Carter introduced legislation that would authorize Trump to negotiate Greenland’s acquisition and even rename it “Red, White, and Blueland,” according to NPR.
Military Option Not Ruled Out
In a televised interview with NBC News on May 4, Trump refused to rule out using military force to annex Greenland, saying, “I don’t rule it out. I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything.”
The president has repeatedly framed Greenland’s acquisition as essential for American security, stating, “We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security.”
This rhetoric has significantly escalated tensions with Denmark, a NATO ally, and prompted international concern about American intentions in the Arctic region.
Greenland and Denmark United in Rejection
Greenland’s leadership has consistently rejected American overtures, with Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede stating unequivocally: “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.”
A January poll found that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to be part of the United States. The island’s newly-elected government, formed after elections in March where U.S. interference was a major campaign issue, is working to demonstrate unity against American pressure.
Denmark has also strengthened its commitment to Greenland, with Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announcing increased defense spending for the territory following Trump’s threats.
Strategic and Resource Motivations
Greenland’s strategic location between North America and Europe makes it valuable for military purposes, particularly for missile defense systems and monitoring Russian naval activities. The U.S. already maintains Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) on the island under a 1951 defense agreement.
Beyond military considerations, the island contains substantial deposits of rare earth minerals critical for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other green technologies. As climate change melts Arctic ice, these resources are becoming more accessible.
Experts note that U.S. control of Greenland would unify the northwestern and northeastern flanks of Arctic North America under American sovereignty for the first time.
