US Weighs Options to Acquire Greenland, Including Possible Military Use, Says White House

According to Rokna, citing BBC, the White House told the BBC that acquiring Greenland—a semi-autonomous region of fellow NATO member Denmark—remains a “national security priority.”

The statement came just hours after European leaders issued a joint declaration supporting Denmark, which has resisted Trump’s ambitions regarding the Arctic island.

Over the weekend, Trump reiterated that the US “needed” Greenland for security reasons, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any American attack could threaten NATO’s stability.

On Tuesday, the White House stated: “The president and his team are examining a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy objective, and naturally, the use of the US military remains an option available to the Commander-in-Chief.”

NATO is a trans-Atlantic military alliance in which member nations are expected to assist each other in case of external aggression.

Also on Tuesday, six European allies expressed support for Denmark. “Greenland belongs to its people, and only Denmark and Greenland can make decisions regarding their relations,” said the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark in a joint statement.

Emphasizing that they share the US’s concern for Arctic security, the European signatories stressed that such security must be ensured collectively by NATO members, including the United States. They also called for upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolable borders.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the statement and urged “respectful dialogue,” adding: “Discussions must acknowledge that Greenland’s status is grounded in international law and the principle of territorial integrity.”

The question of Greenland’s future resurfaced following the US military operation in Venezuela, during which elite forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and transported him to New York to face drug and weapons charges.

A day after the Venezuela raid, Katie Miller—the wife of one of Trump’s senior aides—posted a map of Greenland on social media in the colors of the American flag with the caption “SOON.”

On Monday, her husband, Stephen Miller, stated that it is “the formal position of the US government that Greenland should become part of the United States.”

When repeatedly asked in an interview with CNN whether the US would rule out using force to annex Greenland, Miller responded: “Nobody is going to fight the United States over Greenland’s future.”

Greenland, with a population of approximately 57,000, has enjoyed extensive self-rule since 1979, although defense and foreign policy remain under Danish control. While most Greenlanders favor eventual independence, polls indicate overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the US, which already maintains a military base on the island.

Morgan Angaju, a 27-year-old Inuit from Ilulissat in western Greenland, told the BBC that hearing the US president speak about Greenland “as if it were something to claim” was “terrifying.” He added: “Greenland already belongs to its people. Kalaallit Nunaat means the land of the Greenlandic people.”

Angaju also expressed concern about potential future events, including whether Greenland’s prime minister could face a fate similar to Maduro’s, or even the possibility of a US “invasion.”

An unnamed senior US official told Reuters that America is considering either purchasing Greenland outright or forming a Compact of Free Association with the territory.

In response, a US State Department spokesperson told the BBC on Tuesday that the US is “eager to develop long-term commercial relationships that benefit both Americans and the people of Greenland.” The spokesperson added: “Our shared adversaries have become increasingly active in the Arctic, which is a concern for the US, Denmark, and NATO allies.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also informed lawmakers at a classified briefing on Capitol Hill that the Trump administration does not plan to invade Greenland but has considered acquiring it from Denmark, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Denmark and Greenland previously stated that they requested a prompt meeting with Rubio to discuss US claims regarding the island. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said a discussion with the US top diplomat could resolve “certain misunderstandings.”

Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, emphasized the national security aspect in an interview with the BBC, noting: “I believe they are currently in discussions. My hope is that Europe understands that a strong America is beneficial—it strengthens Western civilization.”

Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland as a strategic US hub in the Arctic during his initial presidential term, describing it in 2019 as “essentially a large real estate deal.”

Interest in Greenland has been growing from Russia and China due to the island’s untapped rare earth deposits and the potential for new trade routes as Arctic ice melts.

In March, Trump stated that the US would “go as far as necessary” to gain control of the territory. During a congressional hearing last summer, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was asked if the Pentagon had plans to seize Greenland by force if needed, to which he replied that they “have contingency plans for any scenario.”