President Donald Trump has made plenty of calls for the United States to annex or purchase Greenland, and that has only intensified in recent weeks.
Trump had brought up the idea of taking over Greenland during his first term in office, then shortly into his second term brought up the idea again, once again causing Danish officials to push back on his rhetoric.
Now, the president has assigned a special envoy to Greenland, and has dispatched the vice president and secretary of state for talks on how to move forward, even as Denmark insists they have no interest in ceding control of the island to the United States.
While most of the talk has surrounded the U.S. purchasing Greenland, Trump has also said that the U.S. will “do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” and has said that using the military is “always an option” to acquire the Danish territory.
Here’s a breakdown of why Trump has been so adamant about the U.S. taking control of Greenland, and what Denmark officials, NATO and Greenland residents have to say about the plan.
Who controls Greenland?
Greenland, located off the east coast of Canada, is the largest island in the world, and is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. According to Britannica, it was unified with Denmark in 1814 and was granted home rule in 1979.
Citizens of Greenland are considered citizens of Denmark and the European Union, according to the country’s laws.
While Greenland controls various aspects of its infrastructure, its foreign policy and security are controlled by Denmark.
Why does President Trump want Greenland to be handed over to the U.S.?
The president has argued repeatedly that the country is “vital” to U.S. defense operations, and has specifically mentioned the construction of the Golden Dome missile defense program as a reason behind the desire.
“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it,” Trump recently wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The president has also argued that Russia or China would aim to take over Greenland if it isn’t put under U.S. control, a claim that has been criticized by foreign policy experts.
“If we don’t, Russia or China will, and that is not going to happen,” Trump said in a social media post. “Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent. They know that, and so do I.”
What about the country’s mineral resources?
The Trump administration has also sought to acquire Greenland because of rare-earth metals that are found in the country.
Officials say that the minerals are critical to U.S. defense operations, as they can be used in fighter jets and other defense items. Those metals are largely controlled by China, and as such acquiring more is a national security imperative for the United States, the president and officials have argued.
What has NATO’s response been to Trump’s comments?
NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is made up of 32 countries, with the U.S. and Denmark both members of the alliance designed to provide security to North America and Europe from outside aggression.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was asked about the controversy during a forum this week, and he said he would “never comment when there are discussions between allies.”
He did say that the organization is committed to keeping areas of the Arctic safe.
“I can tell you that when we talk about the security of the Arctic region, there is no disagreement within the Alliance when it comes to that issue, and that is not only pertaining to the seven who border on the Arctic, that’s also true for other allies who are very much involved here,” he said.
What has Denmark’s response been to Trump’s comments?
The country announced plans to boost the country’s military presence in the Arctic and the North Atlantic in response to Trump’s continued comments arguing that the U.S. should take over the country.
According to the Associated Press, in Copenhagen, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced a stepped-up military presence in the Arctic “in close cooperation with our allies,” a necessity in a security environment in which “no one can predict what will happen tomorrow.”
Several of the country’s allies, including Germany, France, Norway and Sweden, announced they were arriving in Greenland along with Danish personnel to take part in joint exercises or map out further military cooperation in the Arctic.
What about Greenland residents? What do they think?
According to the Associated Press, Greenland residents have largely been resistant to the idea of joining the U.S.
In interviews, Greenlanders said the outcome of the Washington talks didn’t exactly evince confidence that Trump can be persuaded.
“Trump is unpredictable,” said Geng Lastein, who immigrated to Greenland 18 years ago from the Philippines.
Maya Martinsen, 21, said she doesn’t buy Trump’s arguments that Greenland needs to be controlled by the U.S. for the sake maintaining a security edge in Arctic over China and Russia. Instead, Martinsen said, Trump is after the plentiful “oils and minerals that we have that are untouched.”
Greenland “has beautiful nature and lovely people,” Martinsen added. “It’s just home to me. I think the Americans just see some kind of business trade.”
What comes next in the controversy?
Danish officials met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, and while those officials said a “fundamental disagreement” remained between the two sides, they did agree to create a working group to work through differences between the sides.
“The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told reporters after joining Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, for the talks. He added that it remains “clear that the president has this wish of conquering over Greenland.”
Denmark has said the U.S., which already has a military presence, can boost its bases on Greenland. The U.S. is party to a 1951 treaty that gives it broad rights to set up military bases there with the consent of Denmark and Greenland.
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