Washington: US President Donald Trump has once again raised the prospect of American control over Greenland, warning that Washington may be compelled to act decisively if it wants to prevent Russia or China from expanding their presence in the Arctic region.
Speaking to reporters during a meeting with senior oil and gas industry executives, Trump said the United States could not afford to remain passive over Greenland’s future. He argued that failure to intervene would create an opening for geopolitical rivals, something he described as unacceptable for US security interests.
“We’re going to have to act on Greenland,” Trump said, suggesting that diplomacy would be his preferred route but leaving open the possibility of stronger measures. If a negotiated solution proved impossible, he added, the US would pursue what he described as “the hard way.”
Trump also appeared to challenge Denmark’s historical claim to the territory, stating that centuries-old exploration did not amount to permanent ownership. While emphasising that he held Denmark in high regard, he questioned the basis of its sovereignty over Greenland and pointed to growing military activity in surrounding waters as justification for US concern.
According to Trump, Russian naval vessels, submarines and Chinese warships are increasingly active near Greenland, heightening the strategic importance of the island. He said the United States would not tolerate a scenario in which either Moscow or Beijing gained a foothold so close to North America.
When asked why Washington would need outright control of Greenland rather than an expanded military arrangement, Trump argued that ownership carries a level of commitment and defence that temporary agreements cannot match. He claimed countries are more willing to protect territory they own outright, dismissing leases and treaties as insufficient in the long term. He also said NATO allies should recognise Greenland’s importance, adding that he had played a central role in keeping the alliance intact.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory under Danish administration, is rich in strategic resources such as rare earth minerals, uranium and iron ore. The island has long been viewed by US defence planners as critical to Arctic security, and Trump has revived debate around its status as part of a broader push to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
The president first floated the idea of purchasing Greenland during his earlier term in office in 2019, an offer that was firmly rejected by Danish authorities. His renewed comments come shortly after a controversial US military action in Venezuela, which Trump justified by claiming that American intervention prevented Russia or China from expanding their influence there.
Trump has repeatedly framed global conflicts and interventions through the lens of competition with Beijing and Moscow. Referencing Venezuela, he said US action had stopped rival powers from stepping in.
During the same interaction, Trump also criticised Europe’s reliance on wind energy, calling wind turbines inefficient, costly and environmentally damaging. He claimed his administration had not approved any new wind projects and would continue to block them. Trump argued that most wind turbines are manufactured in China and accused Beijing of exporting the technology while relying on coal, oil, gas and nuclear power at home.
He urged European nations to question China’s own energy choices, saying wind power was being sold abroad while not widely adopted domestically.
Trump’s remarks follow his signing of a presidential memorandum ordering the US withdrawal from dozens of international organisations and agreements that his administration says conflict with American interests. The move includes exiting several non-UN bodies and UN-linked entities, among them climate and environmental organisations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as energy and security forums.
The renewed focus on Greenland underscores Trump’s broader foreign policy approach, which prioritises strategic control, resource security and countering rival powers, often at the expense of long-standing international norms and partnerships.
