Trump's Greenland Gambit: US President Threatens To Get It 'The Hard Way' To Deter Russia, China

Last Updated:January 10, 2026, 06:06 IST

The President doubled down on his recent assertions that the mineral-rich island is an absolute necessity for American national security

While Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, the Trump administration has increasingly questioned the ability of Copenhagen to defend the island. File pic

President Donald Trump on Friday intensified his long-running campaign to bring Greenland under American control, warning that the United States must own the territory to prevent it from being “occupied" by Russia or China. Speaking at a White House meeting with oil and gas executives, the President doubled down on his recent assertions that the mineral-rich island is an absolute necessity for American national security. He suggested that if a diplomatic purchase cannot be brokered, the US might be forced to intervene “the hard way".

The President’s latest comments come amid a dramatic escalation in Arctic tensions. Trump claimed that the waters surrounding the world’s largest island are currently “covered with Russian and Chinese ships", a claim he used to justify the need for a swift change in sovereignty. “If we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland," he told the executives. “And we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour." His remarks echo a broader administration strategy to ensure US hegemony in the Western Hemisphere—a sentiment sharpened following the recent US military operation in Venezuela.

While Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, the Trump administration has increasingly questioned the ability of Copenhagen to defend the island. Vice President JD Vance recently accused Denmark of failing to protect the strategically vital landmass, framing the issue around missile defence and the “civilisational" importance of the Arctic. However, the proposal has met with fierce resistance. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any attempt by the US to seize Greenland by force would signal the “end of NATO", describing the idea of annexation as absurd and deeply disrespectful to Greenlandic sovereignty.

The strategic value of Greenland is multifaceted, involving its position at the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-UK) Gap—a critical naval choke point—and its vast untapped deposits of rare earth minerals essential for high-tech and military hardware. The US already operates Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule) under a 1951 treaty, but the President now insists that mere access is insufficient. Despite the White House’s “hard way" rhetoric, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Danish and Greenlandic officials next week to explore potential “economic packages" to sway local opinion, though polling indicates that over 90 per cent of Greenlanders remain opposed to joining the United States.

News world Trump's Greenland Gambit: US President Threatens To Get It 'The Hard Way' To Deter Russia, China

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