U.S. officials are rapidly exploring ways to increase economic and strategic engagement with Greenland, taken off guard by President Donald Trump’s renewed public calls to acquire the island, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Trump has long expressed interest in Greenland, citing security concerns and the island’s strategic location in the Arctic. While early efforts during his first term, including a visit by then-Vice President, suggested a push toward realizing his vision, the matter reportedly receded from the top of the administration’s agenda. That changed sharply in the days following the U.S. operation to capture former Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro on January 3, which prompted Trump to again publicly push for U.S. control of Greenland.
The renewed focus has elevated Greenland-related discussions to a top priority within the White House. Officials are currently concentrating on economic engagement as a way to establish a greater U.S. presence on the island. Potential projects include rare earth minerals extraction, hydroelectric power initiatives, and other infrastructure ventures, sources said. However, these plans are not yet far enough along to satisfy the president’s desire for rapid, high-profile results.
“President Trump has been talking about the United States acquiring Greenland for over a year — even prior to taking office this term,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement. “All core members of the President’s national security team are apprised of all major foreign policy updates. For obvious reasons, people who do not respect operational security and whine to Bloomberg with outright lies are not part of that group.”
Despite the president’s rhetoric, the use of force to acquire Greenland is not under serious consideration, according to sources close to the administration. Senior Republicans have also sought to push back against suggestions that a military operation is imminent.
“We are not looking at doing a military operation” in Greenland, Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters Wednesday. “It would be great if Greenland decided they wanted to become a part of the United States, and if Denmark said we understand the reason why you want it. Let’s make a deal, but it would only be under appropriate conditions.”
Greenland has been under Danish control since 1953, and Copenhagen has consistently rejected the idea of ceding the territory. During Trump’s first term, proposals to buy the island were brushed aside. While Denmark has offered to expand U.S. military and economic access, the White House remains unsatisfied, sources said.
Buying the island remains under consideration, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. “His team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like,” she said. Other ideas, including a Compact of Free Association — similar to agreements the U.S. has with several Pacific nations — would require Denmark to relinquish control, officials said.
European officials have struggled to interpret the often-contradictory messages from Washington. Reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told legislators in a closed-door meeting that the U.S. still sought to buy Greenland prompted confusion. House Speaker Mike Johnson later downplayed the comments, saying Rubio “was trying to be humorous” and that there is no confirmed plan to purchase the territory.
Danish and Greenlandic officials are set to meet with Rubio in Washington next week to clarify the situation. Lars-Christian Brask, vice-chairman of the Danish foreign policy committee, called the upcoming talks “critical” for understanding U.S. intentions. “Let’s get the meeting with the three foreign ministers together, clear up the misunderstandings, try to understand what it is everybody wants to achieve, and then I’m sure we are more informed and there’s less misinformation after that meeting,” Brask said in an interview.
Trump has repeatedly justified his interest in Greenland by pointing to increased Russian and Chinese activity near the island. He has argued that the U.S. must assert control to safeguard national security. Danish and Greenlandic authorities, however, maintain that these threats are overstated and have offered to allow expanded U.S. military presence as an alternative.
“Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump said recently. “We need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you.” He also suggested a tight timeline for resolving the issue, projecting two to three weeks for negotiations.
Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, during his first presidential term. Since returning to office, his rhetoric has intensified, prompting increased attention from U.S. officials. The Danish intelligence community even issued a report last December describing the U.S. as a potential security concern — an unusual characterization highlighting the tension and complexity surrounding the island’s future.
While the idea of formally acquiring Greenland remains politically and diplomatically fraught, U.S. officials continue to pursue avenues for closer engagement. Economic projects, particularly in strategic mineral extraction and energy infrastructure, appear to be the most immediate path for expanding Washington’s footprint. Yet, with Greenland and Denmark signaling caution, the Trump administration faces a delicate balancing act: advancing strategic interests without triggering an international dispute with a NATO ally.
As talks advance over the coming weeks, the world will be watching closely to see whether the U.S. can forge a new relationship with Greenland through diplomacy and investment — or whether Trump’s ambitious rhetoric will outpace what is politically feasible.
