US President Donald Trump has argued that the United States must take ownership of Greenland to stop Russia and China from gaining a foothold there.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said the US needs to “own” the territory, asserting that security depends on ownership rather than temporary arrangements.
“Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland,” he said in response to a BBC question. He added that Washington would pursue its goal “the easy way” or “the hard way”.
The White House has recently confirmed that the administration is examining the possibility of purchasing Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, which is also a Nato member.
Officials have not ruled out the use of force to annex the island. Both Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea, insisting that Greenland is not for sale. Danish officials have warned that any military action would effectively destroy the transatlantic defence alliance.
Although Greenland is the world’s most sparsely populated territory, its strategic position between North America and the Arctic gives it major military significance. The island is considered important for missile early-warning systems and for tracking naval movements in the region.
Trump has repeatedly described Greenland as critical to US national security, alleging without providing evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”. The US already maintains a permanent military presence on the island, with more than 100 personnel stationed at the Pituffik base in Greenland’s north-west, a site the US has operated since World War Two.
Existing agreements with Denmark allow the US to deploy additional troops if it chooses.
Despite this, Trump argued that leasing arrangements were insufficient. “Countries can’t make nine-year deals or even 100-year deals,” he said, stressing that only ownership guarantees security. He also remarked, “I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia,” before adding, “But I don’t want them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to happen.” He concluded by saying, “And by the way Nato’s got to understand that.”
Denmark has received strong backing from its Nato partners, including major European states and Canada. These allies have reiterated that “only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations”. While acknowledging shared concerns about Arctic security, they emphasised that such challenges should be addressed “collectively” by allies. They also underscored the need to respect “the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders”.
Anxiety about Greenland’s future has intensified following Trump’s recent use of military force in Venezuela, where US action led to the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. Trump had previously floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019 during his first term, but was similarly rebuffed.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold discussions with Danish officials next week. At the same time, interest in Greenland’s natural wealth has grown. As climate change accelerates ice melt, access is improving to resources such as rare earth minerals, uranium and iron, and scientists believe the island may also hold substantial oil and gas reserves.
In a joint statement issued on Friday night, Greenland’s political leaders, including opposition figures, criticised Washington’s approach and called for “the US’s disregard for our country to end”. They stressed their desire for self-determination, saying: “We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
