The White House has confirmed that US President Donald Trump is considering a range of options, including military action, to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of Denmark.
The statement, made by the White House to BBC, described acquiring Greenland as a “national security priority.”
This came hours after European leaders issued a joint statement expressing support for Denmark and rejecting Trump’s ambitions for the Arctic island.
Trump reiterated over the weekend that Greenland is crucial to US security, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any military action by the US would lead to the collapse of NATO.
On Tuesday, the White House stated, “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and, of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the Commander-in-Chief’s disposal.”
NATO, a trans-Atlantic military alliance, expects members to aid each other in the event of an attack.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured lawmakers that the administration did not plan to invade Greenland, but mentioned the possibility of purchasing the island from Denmark.
A spokesperson for the US State Department later emphasised the country’s eagerness to build commercial ties with Greenland, underscoring shared concerns over Arctic security.
Denmark and Greenland had requested a meeting with Rubio to clarify the US’s position. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed hopes that discussions with the US would resolve “certain misunderstandings.”
In response, leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark expressed solidarity with Denmark, asserting that Greenland belongs to its people and only Denmark and Greenland have the right to make decisions regarding the island’s future.
The joint statement reiterated that NATO allies, including the US, must address Arctic security collectively, in line with the UN Charter, which protects sovereignty, territorial integrity, and borders.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the European statement, calling for “respectful dialogue” rooted in international law and the principle of territorial integrity.
The issue gained prominence after the US military’s intervention in Venezuela, where elite troops seized President Nicolás Maduro.
Following the operation, Katie Miller, the wife of a senior aide to Trump, shared a map of Greenland with the American flag and the word “SOON” on social media, further fuelling speculation about the US’s intentions.
An unnamed US official told Reuters that potential options included outright purchasing Greenland or establishing a Compact of Free Association with the territory.
While most Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, they overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the US, despite the US maintaining a military base on the island. Greenland, with a population of 57,000, has had self-governance since 1979, but defence and foreign affairs remain under Danish control.
The conversation surrounding Greenland’s future intensified in 2019 when Trump described the idea of acquiring Greenland as “essentially a large real estate deal.”
There has been growing interest from Russia and China in Greenland, which is believed to have untapped rare earth deposits, and its melting ice raises the possibility of new trade routes.
In March, Trump remarked that the US would “go as far as we have to go” to secure control of the island. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed last summer that the Pentagon had contingency plans for Greenland.
