A shifting climate, vast mineral wealth, and escalating geopolitical rivalries have placed Greenland at the center of a global debate over security and trade. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly demanded control over the world’s largest island, a stance that has rattled the NATO alliance and deeply discomfited European allies.
On Wednesday, at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump renewed his pressure, stating, “Greenland is very important to the United States, but it’s not important to Denmark. We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen swiftly rejected the overture, stating, “Greenland is of course not for sale,” and emphasizing that the semiautonomous territory’s future rests entirely with its own people. While Trump previously refused to rule out using military force to secure ownership of the island, he has since stated that military options are off the table.
Greenland, where 80% of the territory sits above the Arctic Circle, has been vital to North American defense since World War II, when US forces occupied the island to secure North Atlantic shipping lanes from Nazi Germany, says a report done by AP News.
Read more about this topic: Danish PM Frederiksen vows to defend “every inch” of Greenland after Trump threatens US troop withdrawal from Europe. Threat of American military exit exposes deepening fractures
While the region enjoyed decades of post-Cold War international cooperation, climate change is rapidly altering the landscape. As Arctic ice thins, it opens up new northwest passages for international trade and ignites fierce competition over resource access.
Trump has frequently claimed that Russian and Chinese forces are lurking off Greenland’s coastline—claims that officials have labeled as false—to justify his demands. However, both nations are actively expanding their footprint in the polar region:
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China: In 2018, Beijing declared itself a “near-Arctic state” and announced plans for a “Polar Silk Road” under its Belt and Road Initiative. The move was heavily criticized by US officials, who warned against turning the Arctic Ocean into a militarized zone akin to the South China Sea.
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Russia: Since 2014, Moscow has opened several military bases, reconstructed airfields, and restored old Soviet infrastructure in the Arctic. The polar region houses Russia’s Northern Fleet, and military officials recently announced that its nuclear testing sites are prepared to resume operations if necessary.
Read more about this topic: Rutte echoes Trump’s concerns over China and Russia influence in Greenland (with videos)
Military experts argue that a US annexation would not actually change Washington’s strategic position. The US military already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland under a 1951 defense treaty with Denmark, supporting critical missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance operations. Furthermore, Greenland helps guard the “GIUK Gap” (Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom), allowing NATO to monitor Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic.
“The United States will gain no advantage if its flag is flying in Nuuk versus the Greenlandic flag,” said Thomas Crosbie, an associate professor of military operations at the Royal Danish Defense College. “They already enjoy all of the advantages they want… So this has nothing to do with improving national security.”
Additionally, Denmark’s parliament recently approved a bill expanding a 2023 agreement allowing US troops broad access to Danish airbases. However, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen explicitly noted to lawmakers that Denmark maintains the right to terminate this military agreement if the US attempts to annex any part of Greenland.
Beyond its geographical positioning, Greenland holds massive untapped deposits of rare earth minerals—critical components used in cellphones, computers, batteries, and other high-tech infrastructure powering the global economy.
As Western powers scramble to break China’s current dominance over the global critical minerals market, Greenland has become an attractive target. Despite the immense interest, actual extraction remains incredibly challenging due to the island’s harsh polar climate and strict local environmental regulations.
