President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure to make Greenland part of the United States, linking Greenland to missile defense in a Jan. 14 social media post and saying, “We will not accept anything less.”
“America needs Greenland,” President Trump wrote.
President Trump posted on Truth Social ahead of Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s meeting with Greenlandic and Danish officials at the White House. Greenland has said it does not want to become part of the United States.
U.S. officials met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lökke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt. During the talks, neither side changed their positions. Further talks are also planned.
Greenland, the world’s largest island, is an autonomous country that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and a long-time ally of the United States.
Where is Greenland? And why does Trump want it? that?
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President Trump has stated that the national security of the United States depends on the annexation of Greenland, and has not ruled out the possibility of military action toward annexing Greenland. “Whether they like it or not, we’re going to do something in Greenland,” he said at a White House meeting on January 9.
According to Reuters, European countries are planning to expand their NATO presence and are sending small troops to the island nation.
On January 16, President Trump dubbed himself the “tariff king” and threatened to use tariffs to force other countries to follow his plans.
A U.S. takeover could spark an international crisis, but the next move against Greenland could come within “a few weeks,” a U.S. official told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview.
Greenland has maintained a relationship with the United States that began in World War II.
The island is strategically located in a place called the GIUK Gap, an abbreviation for Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom, an important sea-air chokepoint between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean during World War II and the Cold War.
Its location gives Greenland a tactical advantage in tracking missiles and monitoring maritime traffic in the North Atlantic.
After Germany invaded Denmark in World War II, the United States occupied Greenland. The U.S. military built about a dozen bases of various sizes in Greenland during and after the war. The only one left is Pitufik Cosmodrome, formerly known as Thule Air Base.
The base is used for missile defense and space surveillance. The United States operates it under an agreement with Denmark known as the 1951 Greenland Defense Agreement.
What else makes Greenland valuable?
In addition to its military value, Greenland is rich in uranium, iron, and rare earth minerals, 17 of which are prized for use in advanced industries from smartphones to MRI machines to weapons systems. The United States was once the top producer of rare earths, but has now been supplanted by China.
Greenland’s rare earth reserves are estimated to be the eighth largest in the world. Gaining access to them would reduce U.S. dependence on China, which is already investing in mining projects in Greenland.
Next is commercial transportation. According to the U.S. Naval Research Institute, the Arctic Ocean is a shortcut for ships sailing between the U.S. and Asia, and between Europe and Asia. The distance will be approximately 40% shorter than routes using the Panama Canal or Suez Canal.
Why is Greenland important to President Trump?
President Trump first spoke about acquiring Greenland during his first term in office in 2019. Trump has argued that Russia or China could seize Greenland if the U.S. doesn’t act, and said NATO would be stronger if the U.S. took control of Greenland.
China and Russia are increasing their military presence in the Arctic, according to a 2024 report from the Arctic Institute. The study recommended that the United States and NATO pursue an aggressive Arctic strategy.
In response, Denmark and Greenland have increased their military presence in and around Greenland. Denmark has increased its Arctic defense spending by $2.1 billion in 2025.
Could President Trump get the US to buy Greenland?
A US purchase of Greenland could only happen if Greenland and Denmark agree. That is unlikely, as representatives of both governments have said the island is not for sale.
The U.S. purchase of Greenland would require Senate ratification and Congressional approval.
What other options are available?
Alternative strategies for the United States include:
- Revise the 1951 Defense Agreement to provide more benefits to the United States.
- Establish long-term leases for more defensive sites.
- Expand investment and economic cooperation.
How big is Greenland?
Greenland is an island nation roughly the size of Alaska and Montana combined. The population is approximately 56,000, about the same as Carson City, Nevada.
How large is Greenland?
Approximately 80% of Greenland is covered in ice, which can be up to a mile thick. Most of the island lies inside the Arctic Circle, which is being transformed by climate change.
The country’s economy is based on fish and shrimp exports, along with economic support from Denmark. But that could change as the Arctic ice melts.
Contributor: Kim Hjelmgaard, janet rourke, and Sean J. Sullivan.
Source: USA TODAY Network reporting and research. Reuters; Center for Strategic and International Studies. justsecurity.org;U.S. Naval Research Laboratory;Arctic Research Institute
