WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is exploring ways to take control of Greenland, with the use of the US military “always an option,” the White House said on Tuesday, escalating tensions with NATO ally Denmark and raising concerns across Europe.
The remarks came despite Greenland and Denmark calling for an urgent meeting with Washington to address what they described as growing “misunderstandings” over the autonomous Arctic territory.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said acquiring Greenland was a key US national security objective, citing strategic competition with Russia and China and the island’s untapped rare earth resources.
“Acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States,” Leavitt said in a statement to AFP. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”
Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland follows recent US military intervention in Venezuela, which has revived speculation over Washington’s broader geopolitical ambitions. Greenland’s strategic importance has grown as melting Arctic ice opens new global shipping routes.
The comments have heightened anxiety in Europe about the stability of the transatlantic alliance. Greenland and Denmark confirmed they had sought a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though no date has yet been secured.
“It has so far not been possible, despite repeated requests throughout 2025,” Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said on social media. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said such talks could help resolve “certain misunderstandings.”
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen again rejected any suggestion that the territory could be sold, stressing that only Greenlanders had the right to decide the island’s future.
His stance was backed by a joint statement from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain, which reaffirmed support for Denmark and emphasized the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolable borders.
“For this support, I wish to express my deepest gratitude,” Nielsen said.
The statement described Arctic security as critical to international and transatlantic stability, noting that Denmark—including Greenland—is a NATO member and urging collective action in the region.
While French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to downplay tensions during Ukraine peace talks in Paris, Macron said he could not envision a scenario in which the US would violate Danish sovereignty.
Trump, who has floated the idea of annexing Greenland since his first term, hinted on Sunday that a decision could come “in about two months,” once the situation in Venezuela stabilises.
Washington already maintains a US military base in Greenland, which is home to approximately 57,000 people. Trump has previously questioned Denmark’s ability to secure the territory, claims Copenhagen disputes, noting it has committed nearly 90 billion kroner ($14 billion) to defense spending in the past year.