Donald Trump is trying to take over Greenland, and he has the top minds of his administration — Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary Marco Rubio — on the job. On Wednesday, the two met with the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers, but admitted that their “perspectives continue to differ.” Trump, however, chose to use Truth Social to continue adding pressure, declaring that a compromise on this particular issue is “unacceptable.”
Before the meeting, Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen had already fired warning shots, saying that an agreement to hand over Greenland was out of the question. Nielsen said, “Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA. Greenland does not want to be governed by the USA. Greenland will not be part of the USA. We choose the Greenland we know today, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.” According to CNN, Trump responded by saying he has no idea who Nielsen is.
There has already been concern throughout Europe that this one disagreement could lead to the abolishment of NATO. Trump, however, sees it differently. The president took to Truth Social again to present his case to leaders in Europe. Trump argued that if the US doesn’t “get” Greenland, then either Russia or China will instead. He also added that, were it not for him personally, NATO would not be an “effective force.”
For most people, the reason Trump wants to take over Greenland is a mystery. He has stated that his main intention is to protect Americans through strategic military bases. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the nation is vital for him to build a “golden dome,” which he says would be one of the most effective missile defense systems on the planet.
However, considering that the immediate aftermath of the Nicolas Maduro abduction from Venezuela quickly turned into Trump prematurely celebrating all the barrels of oil his administration would drill, some are understandably skeptical. The climate crisis has led to an unprecedented and growing importance of Greenland.
Northern shipping routes past Greenland are now more important than ever. Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, also added that the desire to take over the country was about “critical minerals” and “natural resources.” Greenland is believed to be rich in oil, gas, and rare earth minerals.
Trump took to Truth Social to write, “NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable.” As tensions rise over what would be a first-of-its-kind conflict between major European powers and the US, Denmark has officially declared an increased military presence in Greenland due to “security concerns.”
Sweden, Germany, and Norway have also sent in a few military personnel to show their solidarity with Denmark. French leader Emmanuel Macron has not sent in troops, but he has made his opposition to a potential Trump takeover of Greenland clear. Meanwhile, Secretary Rubio still insists that he sees a pathway to convincing Denmark and Greenland to sell their land in a non-violent resolution to the disagreement.
Published: Jan 15, 2026 11:49 am