US President Donald Trump has reportedly been considering “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including potential military action, according to a statement from the White House.
The administration emphasized that Greenland—a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a fellow NATO member—is considered a “national security priority” for the United States.
This announcement came shortly after European leaders issued a joint statement in support of Denmark, which has pushed back against Trump’s Arctic ambitions. Over the weekend, Trump reiterated that the US “needed” Greenland for strategic reasons, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any American attack on the island would mark the end of NATO. The White House clarified on Tuesday: “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 is a transatlantic alliance in which member states are expected to come to one another’s aid in the event of external attacks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Monday, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and other US media, stating that the administration had no plans to invade Greenland. Instead, he suggested the possibility of purchasing the island from Denmark.
A State Department spokesperson later told the BBC that the US “is eager to build lasting commercial relationships that benefit Americans and the people of Greenland.” The spokesperson added, “Our common adversaries have been increasingly active in the Arctic. That is a concern that the United States, the Kingdom of Denmark, and NATO Allies share.”
Denmark and Greenland have reportedly requested a prompt meeting with Rubio to clarify the US position. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said that a direct conversation with America’s top diplomat should help resolve “certain misunderstandings.”
On Tuesday, six European allies expressed explicit support for Denmark. “Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations,” said the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark in a joint statement.
While reaffirming their commitment to Arctic security, the European signatories emphasized that such security must be achieved collectively by NATO allies, including the US. They also stressed adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the statement, calling for “respectful dialogue” that recognizes Greenland’s international status. He added, “The dialogue must take place with respect for the fact that Greenland’s status is rooted in international law and the principle of territorial integrity.”
Interest in Greenland resurfaced following the US military intervention in Venezuela, where elite American forces seized President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to New York to face drug and weapons charges. The day after the raid, Katie Miller—the wife of a senior Trump aide—posted a map of Greenland colored in the American flag on social media with the word “SOON.” Her husband, Stephen Miller, stated on Monday that it represented “the formal position of the US government that Greenland should be part of the US.”
When repeatedly asked in a CNN interview whether the US would rule out using force to annex Greenland, Miller replied, “Nobody’s going to fight the US over the future of Greenland.”
Greenland, with a population of approximately 57,000, has enjoyed extensive self-government since 1979, although Denmark retains control over defence and foreign policy. While most Greenlanders favor eventual independence from Denmark, public opinion overwhelmingly opposes integration into the United States, which already maintains a military base on the island.
Morgan Angaju, a 27-year-old Inuit resident of Ilulissat in western Greenland, told the BBC that Trump’s comments were “terrifying.” He said, “It’s unsettling to listen to the leader of the free world laughing at Denmark and Greenland and just talking about us like we’re something to claim.” Angaju added that he feared for what might come next, questioning whether Greenland’s prime minister could face a fate similar to Maduro’s, or whether the US might attempt to invade the territory.
According to an unnamed US senior official, options being considered include the outright purchase of Greenland or establishing a Compact of Free Association with the territory. Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, emphasized the strategic importance, saying, “I think they’re just in talks right now. My hope is that Europe would understand that a strong America is good—it’s good for Western civilisation.”
Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland as a strategic Arctic hub during his initial presidential term, describing it in 2019 as “essentially a large real estate deal.” Interest in the island has increased due to Russia and China seeking to expand their Arctic presence, with Greenland’s untapped rare earth minerals and potential new trade routes emerging as melting ice opens access.
In March, Trump remarked that the US would “go as far as we have to go” to gain control of Greenland. During a congressional hearing last summer, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked whether the Pentagon had contingency plans to seize Greenland by force if needed; he confirmed that “plans for any contingency” existed.
