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US President Donald Trump considers Greenland a US national security priority to deter Washington’s “adversaries” in the Arctic region, according to a report. White House Statement released Tuesday.
The statement came days after Trump told reporters that the The United States needs Greenland from a national security point of view because it is “covered by Russian and Chinese ships”.
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Here’s what you need to know about what Trump said, whether Russia and China are present in Greenland, and whether they pose a threat to U.S. security.
What did Trump say recently about Greenland?
“Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships everywhere. We need Greenland from a national security standpoint,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on January 4.
The White House statement Tuesday gave more details on how the United States would go about acquiring Greenland.
“The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy objective and, of course, reliance on the United States military is always an option available to the Commander in Chief,” the White House statement said.
During his second term, Trump repeatedly spoke of wanting Greenland for national security reasons.
“We need Greenland for international safety and security. We need it. We must have it,” he said. said in March.
Since 1979, Greenland has been an autonomous territory of Denmark and since 2009 it has had the right to declare independence by referendum.
Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to take control of the island, which is home to a US military base. He first expressed this wish in 2019, during his first term as US president.
In response, the leaders of Greenland and Denmark repeatedly stated that Greenland was not for sale. They have made it clear that they do not really want to be part of the United States.
On January 4, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said: “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland. »
“The United States has no right to annex any of the three countries of the Danish kingdom,” she said, referring to the Faroe Islands, which, like Greenland, are also Danish territory.
“I therefore strongly urge the United States to end threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have very clearly stated that they are not for sale,” Frederiksen said.
American Special Forces removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during an operation in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on January 3.
A few hours later, Katie Miller, the wife of a close Trump aide and US Homeland Security Advisor. Stephen Millerposted on X a photo showing the American flag imposed on the map of Greenland.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded in an X-post, writing: “Relations between nations and people are based on mutual respect and international law – not on symbolic gestures that disregard our status and rights. »
Why does Trump want Greenland so much?
The Arctic island’s location and natural resources make it strategically important to Washington.
Greenland is geographically part of North America, located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. It is home to some 56,000 inhabitants, most of them Indigenous Inuit people.
It is the largest island in the world. Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, is closer to New York – about 2,900 km (1,800 miles) – than the Danish capital Copenhagen, located 3,500 km (2,174 miles) to the east.
Greenland, a NATO territory via Denmark, is an overseas country and territory associated with the EU whose residents remain citizens of the European Union, having joined the European Community with Denmark in 1973 but having withdrawn in 1985.
“It’s really tricky if the United States decides to use military power to take control of Greenland. Denmark is a member of NATO; the United States is also a member. It really calls into question the purpose of the military alliance, if that happens,” Melinda Haring, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Eurasia Center, told Al Jazeera.
Greenland offers the shortest route between North America and Europe. This gives the United States a strategic advantage for its military and its ballistic missile early warning system.
The United States has expressed interest in expanding its military presence in Greenland by placing radars in the waters connecting Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom. These waters constitute a gateway for Russian and Chinese ships, which Washington wishes to follow.
The island is also incredibly rich in minerals, including rare earths used in high-tech industry and battery manufacturing.
According to a 2023 survey, 25 of the 34 minerals considered “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were discovered in Greenland.
Greenland does not extract oil and gas, and its mining sector faces opposition from its indigenous population. The island’s economy depends largely on its fishing industry.
Are Chinese and Russian ships invading Greenland?
However, even though Trump spoke of Russian and Chinese ships around Greenland, the facts do not currently support this.
Ship tracking data from maritime data and intelligence websites such as MarineTraffic does not show the presence of Chinese or Russian ships near Greenland.
Are Russia and China a threat to Greenland?
Aside from the location of the ships, Trump’s rhetoric comes against a backdrop of blur for the Arctic.
In the context of global warming, the vast untapped resources of the Arctic are becoming more accessible. Countries like the United States, Canada, China and Russia are now interested in these resources.
“Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic, but we will closely monitor developments and develop an appropriate response by increasing our military capacity and modernizing our military infrastructure,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a March 2025 speech at the International Arctic Forum in the Russian city of Murmansk, the largest city in the Arctic Circle.
During that speech, Putin said he believed Trump was serious about taking Greenland and that the United States would continue its efforts to acquire it.
In December 2024, Canada released a policy document detailing plans to strengthen its military and diplomatic presence in the Arctic. Russia is also build military installations and power plants in the region.
Meanwhile, Russia and China have been work together develop maritime routes in the Arctic as Moscow seeks to deliver more oil and gas to China amid Western sanctions while Beijing seeks alternative shipping route reduce its dependence on the Strait of Malacca.
The Northern Sea Route (NSR), a shipping route in the Arctic Ocean, is becoming easier to navigate due to melting ice. NSR can significantly reduce maritime journeys. Russia hopes to increase trade through the NSR to trade more with Asia than with Europe due to Western sanctions. Last year, the number of oil deliveries from Russia to China through the NSR increased by a quarter.
China is also exploring the region and has sent 10 scientific expeditions to the Arctic and built research ships to study the icy waters of northern Russia.
