Conquer, buy, or lease? Greenland, the world’s largest island, is back in play as President Trump reiterates his desire to acquire the Arctic semi-autonomous territory, better known as a semi-colony, from Denmark.
Greenland does, though, since 1979, have limited self-government and its own parliament.
Trump, who has had a recurring fixation with Greenland since his first term in office, when he floated the possibility that the U.S. purchase the sparsely populated island from Denmark (flatly rejected by Denmark), mentioned his interest in gaining Greenland for the U.S. again even before he was inaugurated in January of 2025.
After making a huge splash and provoking fierce pushback, the issue took a back seat briefly until Vice President JD Vance made an “aggressive” uninvited visit to the massive icy island in March 2025, where he toured Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base), erected by the U.S. in the early years of the Cold War in a strategic location for missile defense and space surveillance missions.
After more wailing and teeth-gnashing from critics, the issue again was put on the back burner until now. According to the White House, Trump is again discussing “a range of options” for acquiring Greenland, including the use of military force. This time, the threat seems far more ominous, with a potentially transformative impact on America’s role in the world, how it is seen, and the end of the NATO alliance.
The White House repeated Trump’s argument that acquiring Greenland is a “national security priority.” This statement came just hours after European leaders issued a joint statement rallying behind fellow NATO member Denmark, which has been pushing back against Trump’s ambitions for the Arctic island.
Over the past weekend, even as U.S. troops captured Venezuela’s narco-dictator, Nicolás Maduro, Trump repeated that the U.S. “needed” Greenland for security reasons, prompting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any attack by the U.S. would spell the end of NATO.
However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing that the escalation in rhetoric was part of a wider strategy to ramp up pressure on Denmark to sell the territory. Knowing how Trump operates and his “Art of the Deal,” this makes perfect sense.
He is likely simply playing hardball to gain concessions at a very low cost.
But why is Trump so interested in Greenland? And why now?
Because, if you look at a polar projection map, it becomes clear. Greenland straddles the Arctic circle between the U.S., Russia and Europe. Greenland is actually part of North America, almost touching Canada in places, and 1,800 miles from New York.
Meanwhile tiny Denmark is roughly 2,100 miles away, has no Arctic interests, and can’t invest much in Greenland’s economy.
Greenland does virtually nothing for Denmark. And Denmark does very little for Greenland.
Despite boasting vast oil, gas, and rare earth mineral reserves, the island’s 57,000-person population depends heavily on fishing and annual subsidies from Denmark, which cover roughly half of its public budget.
It is a geopolitical prize that the U.S. and others have eyed for more than 150 years. But it’s even more valuable and strategic now as the Polar ice cap dramatically melts and opens up previously impenetrable sea routes near North America’s vulnerable northern regions, making growing Russian and Chinese military and economic activity there far more serious now.
Greenland protects the opening northern approach to the U.S. homeland from growing missile, air and seaborne threats more dangerous now than in decades before.
This, as the steadily opening Northwest Passage and Northeast Passage in the Arctic are cutting thousands of miles off Suez and Panama Canal routes from the Far East to Europe and the U.S. East Coast. China now absurdly calls itself a near-Arctic power, laying equal claim to its vast resources as those few countries that actually border the Arctic.
It is also strategically situated along the GIUK Gap — named for the initials of Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom — where NATO monitors Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic. Both Russia and China are dramatically increasing their military presence in the Arctic region.
And finally, rare earth minerals are critical for national security as all our modern and future defense technologies depend on them. China owns huge amounts, and an undetermined amount also lies on the Arctic seabed, within close range of Greenland.
Greenland’s rare earths are estimated at 36.1 billion tons by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). Demand for these 17 metals vital for the tech industry is expected to surge in the future, and they are also needed for drones, wind turbines, hard drives, smartphones, powerful magnets, electric cars, telescope lenses, and fighter aircraft.
The island has deposits of diamonds, graphite, lithium, copper, nickel, and gallium. It also has oil and rare earth minerals, such as neodymium and dysprosium, of which China and Russia are the top global producers.
Greenland’s soils also contain graphite, lithium, and copper, three minerals defined by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as critical for the energy transition.
The island could also hold hydrocarbons roughly equivalent to 28.43 billion barrels of oil, according to Greenland’s National Oil Company (Nunaoil), and Greenland’s Mineral Resources Authority.
We don’t have to agree with Trump’s belligerent approach to see the valid strategic and practical reasons for why he is doing it now.
Ultimately, the question is, can the U.S. gain the growing strategic military and mineral access it needs there without attacking a loyal NATO ally and perhaps destroying NATO just to take overt possession of the island? That will be up next.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
READ NEXT: Feds Reverse Course After Deadly ICE Operation
Grand Fenwick could take Nuuk in half an hour. What was your point?
People are very naïve not to see the strategic necessity of the U.S.A. having a strong land base in the Artic. With all China and Russia are doing up there North America is extremely vulnerable from the Artic. Trump didn’t just dream this up obviously his CIA and Dept. of War have found a strategic vulnerability to the security of our nation.
HEGSETH IS AN AMERICAN PATRIOT WHO IS ACTIVELY SUPPORTING OUR COUNTRY. WE NEED TO SUPPORT HIM AND HIS AGENDA AS THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. LET YOUR LOCAL AND NATIONAL AUTHORITIES THAT YOUSUPPORT AMERICAN SOVERGNITY ABOVE WORLD DOMINATION. DO THIS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. REMEMBER THE SAYING, “HE WHO HESITATES IS LOST”.
I stand with Pete Hegseth!