US President Donald Trump has escalated his long-running push to acquire Greenland, with the White House confirming that the administration is considering “a range of options” — including potential use of the US military — to bring the Arctic territory under American control.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that acquiring Greenland had been identified as a national security priority, citing growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.
“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States,” Leavitt said. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal.”
Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, which, like the United States, is a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Denmark retains responsibility for Greenland’s defence and foreign policy.
European backlash and NATO concerns
Trump’s remarks have prompted a coordinated response from European leaders, who issued a joint statement rejecting any US claim to the territory and warning that security in the Arctic must be achieved collectively.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
The statement was signed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, along with the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Poland.
Frederiksen warned that a US military move against Greenland would undermine the NATO alliance itself. “If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” she said, adding that such an action would effectively end the alliance.
Greenland dismisses takeover fears
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen sought to downplay fears of an imminent US takeover, while rejecting comparisons with Venezuela, where US forces recently captured President Nicolás Maduro.
“The situation is not such that the United States can simply conquer Greenland,” Nielsen said. “We are a country that is democratic and has been democratic for many, many years.”
Nielsen said Greenland remained open to cooperation with the US, but only through “respectful dialogue” grounded in international law and territorial integrity.
Strategic value and economic pressures
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s strategic location between North America and Europe makes it vital to US national security, particularly for Arctic surveillance and missile defence. The island is also believed to hold significant untapped mineral resources critical to high-tech and energy industries.
However, Greenland’s economy is facing mounting challenges. A report published this week by Danmarks Nationalbank warned that economic growth had slowed sharply, with GDP expanding just 0.8% in 2025 and forecast to grow at the same pace this year, down from 2% in 2022.
The bank said the fishing-dependent economy was under pressure from declining shrimp stocks, weakening public finances and the completion of major infrastructure projects without new large-scale investments underway. Liquidity in Greenland’s treasury fell to “critically low” levels in the second half of 2025, prompting urgent fiscal tightening measures.
Greenland’s population, currently about 57,000, is projected to shrink by around 20% by 2050, driven by emigration and an ageing demographic profile.
‘Very serious’ intent
In recent interviews, Trump has described himself as “very serious” about acquiring Greenland, while acknowledging there is “no timeline” for doing so. He has previously said the US would obtain the territory “one way or the other”.
Senior White House figures have declined to rule out the use of force, with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stating that the US is not bound by “international niceties” when its security interests are at stake.
Opinion polls show that while many Greenlanders favour eventual independence from Denmark, there is overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the United States.
