Trump Renews Push to Control Greenland, Citing U.S. National Security Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday renewed calls for U.S. control of Greenland, citing national security concerns and prompting firm rejection from Denmark and Greenland.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his call for the United States to take control of Greenland, arguing that the Arctic island is critical to American national security amid intensifying geopolitical competition in the region.

Trump made the remarks while announcing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the U.S. special envoy for Greenland, saying Landry would oversee Washington’s efforts related to the territory. Trump insisted the push was driven by security concerns rather than access to minerals, pointing to increased Russian and Chinese maritime activity near Greenland.

“We need Greenland for national security,” Trump said. “If you look along the coastline, you see Russian and Chinese ships everywhere. We have to have it,” he added, reiterating claims he has made repeatedly in recent years.

Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland during his presidency in 2019, triggering diplomatic fallout after Denmark rejected the proposal outright. At the time, Trump cancelled a planned state visit to Copenhagen, calling Denmark’s refusal to discuss the sale “absurd,” a move that strained relations with a key NATO ally.

More recently, Trump has also questioned long-standing arrangements with Canada, at times suggesting Washington should reassess defence and economic commitments unless Ottawa contributes more to shared security costs. His remarks have raised concerns among allies about a more transactional U.S. approach to territorial and strategic issues under his leadership.

Denmark and Greenland swiftly rejected Trump’s latest comments, reiterating that the island is not for sale and cannot be annexed under any justification. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Greenland belongs to its people alone.

In a joint statement, the two leaders said international security arguments cannot be used to justify the takeover of another territory, stressing that Greenland’s future must be decided solely by Greenlanders.

Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, gained the right to seek independence under a 2009 agreement but remains economically dependent on fishing and financial support from Denmark. Its strategic location between Europe and North America has long made it central to U.S. missile defence planning and Arctic security strategy.

The island’s untapped mineral wealth, including rare earth elements, has also attracted growing international interest as Western countries seek to reduce dependence on China for critical raw materials.

Following the appointment of the U.S. special envoy, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Denmark would summon the U.S. ambassador, calling the move “completely unacceptable” and warning that renewed U.S. claims over Greenland risk escalating diplomatic tensions with Washington.

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