The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump and his advisers are actively weighing different approaches to bringing Greenland under US control — including the potential use of military force.
the White House described the acquisition of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark and a fellow Nato member, as a matter of US national security.
The comments came shortly after several European leaders publicly backed Denmark, which has rejected Washington’s renewed push to claim the Arctic island.
Over the weekend, President Trump again insisted that the United States “needs” Greenland for security purposes. Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, warned that any military action by the US against the territory would effectively undermine the Nato alliance.
Military option not ruled out
“The president and his team are exploring a range of options to achieve this foreign policy objective,” the White House said on Tuesday. “As commander-in-chief, the president always has the option of deploying the US military.”
Nato’s founding principle requires member states to defend one another against external threats — a provision that would be tested by any US move against Danish territory.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told lawmakers during a closed-door briefing that the administration had no immediate plans to invade Greenland. Instead, he referenced the possibility of purchasing the territory from Denmark, according to US media reports.
A US State Department spokesperson later said Washington was interested in strengthening economic ties that would benefit both Americans and Greenlanders, citing growing security concerns in the Arctic due to increased activity from rival nations.
European leaders push back
Denmark and Greenland have requested urgent talks with Rubio to clarify the US position. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said discussions should help address what he called misunderstandings surrounding Trump’s remarks.
Meanwhile, leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark released a joint statement reaffirming their support for Denmark’s sovereignty.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said, adding that only Denmark and Greenland have the authority to decide their future relationship. The leaders stressed that Arctic security should be managed collectively through Nato and in line with international law.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, welcomed the show of unity and called for calm and respectful dialogue grounded in international legal principles.
Greenlanders express fear and opposition
The debate intensified following the recent US military operation in Venezuela, in which American forces seized President Nicolás Maduro. Shortly after, a social media post by Katie Miller — the wife of a senior Trump adviser — depicted Greenland in US flag colours with the caption “SOON”.
Her husband, Stephen Miller, later stated that it was the official position of the US government that Greenland should become part of the United States.
When asked whether force could be ruled out, Miller declined to give assurances, saying no country would challenge the US over Greenland’s future.
Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has enjoyed broad self-rule since 1979, though Denmark retains control over defence and foreign affairs. While many residents support eventual independence, polls show strong opposition to joining the US.
Morgan Angaju, a 27-year-old Inuit resident of Ilulissat, told the BBC that Trump’s remarks were alarming.
“It’s terrifying to hear world leaders talk about us like property,” he said. “Kalaallit Nunaat means the land of the Greenlandic people — we already belong to ourselves.”
Strategic interests and growing tensions
US officials have told Reuters that Washington is considering several scenarios, including outright purchase or a Compact of Free Association — a model that would trade economic support for expanded US military access.
Republican Senator Eric Schmitt said discussions were still preliminary but framed the issue as essential to Western security interests.
Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term, calling it a strategic “real estate deal”. The island has since gained increased attention due to its untapped rare-earth resources and the opening of new Arctic shipping routes as ice melts.
In recent months, Trump has warned that the US would take whatever steps are necessary to secure control of the territory. Last year, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon maintains contingency plans for all scenarios involving Greenland.
