Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 7: The White House on Tuesday said US President Donald Trump is actively exploring a range of options, including the possible use of military force, to acquire Greenland, reiterating that the move is being viewed as a national security priority.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump believes acquiring Greenland is crucial to counter threats in the Arctic region. “The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and utilizing the US military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal,” she said in a statement.
The remarks come amid renewed interest by the Trump administration in the resource-rich, self-governing territory of Denmark. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly told lawmakers that the administration is considering purchasing Greenland, while playing down the likelihood of immediate military action.
Sources said the US State Department recently conducted an internal assessment of Greenland’s untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals. However, the analysis reportedly found no reliable estimate of the scale of these resources and noted that extraction would involve enormous costs due to harsh climatic conditions and inadequate infrastructure.
President Trump has publicly reiterated his stance, saying Greenland is essential for US national security. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Senior White House aide Stephen Miller further escalated the rhetoric, questioning Denmark’s claim over Greenland and asserting that no country would militarily confront the US over the island’s future.
The comments have triggered sharp reactions across Europe. Leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement asserting that Greenland belongs to its people and stressing that Arctic security must be ensured collectively through NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any US military action against Greenland could effectively spell the end of NATO unity.
Greenland’s leadership has sought urgent diplomatic engagement, requesting a meeting with Rubio following the recent statements from Washington.
Trump has long expressed interest in Greenland, citing its strategic location between the US, Europe and Russia, as well as its vast reserves of oil, gas and rare earth minerals. His earlier attempt during his first term to buy the island was firmly rejected by Denmark.
The renewed push has also drawn criticism within the US. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego announced plans to introduce a resolution to block any military move against Greenland, while Republican Congressman Don Bacon called the idea “appalling” and urged bipartisan opposition to any coercive action against a NATO ally.
Senior lawmakers from both parties reaffirmed the US-Denmark partnership, warning that pressuring a fellow NATO member undermines the alliance’s core principles of sovereignty and self-determination.
As debate intensifies, Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland has added another flashpoint to his increasingly expansionist foreign policy agenda, drawing global attention and concern.