'Military Always An Option': White House Says Trump Discussing Greenland Acquisition

Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 07:26 IST

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory with a population of about 57,000, has repeatedly rejected the idea of becoming part of the United States.

US President Donald Trump at the White House. (Image Credit: Reuters)

President Donald Trump is exploring how to take control of Greenland, with the White House confirming that his administration is actively discussing options to acquire the Arctic island and using the US military is “always an option".

Washington’s stark warning came despite Greenland and Denmark both calling for a speedy meeting with the United States to clear up “misunderstandings."

Trump’s focus on gaining the autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic was reignited by the US military intervention in Venezuela. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States," to deter adversaries like Russia and China.

“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal," she said.

Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory with a population of about 57,000, has repeatedly rejected the idea of becoming part of the United States. Denmark has also made clear in the past that the island is not for sale.

Trump’s Claims On Greenland

Trump’s renewed claims over self-governing Greenland have raised concerns in Europe. Earlier, Greenland and Denmark said they had asked to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio quickly to discuss the issue.

“It has so far not been possible," Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt wrote on social media, “despite the fact that the Greenlandic and Danish governments have requested a meeting at the ministerial level throughout 2025."

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said meeting Rubio should resolve “certain misunderstandings."

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen again insisted that the island was not for sale and only Greenlanders should decide its future.

Notably, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain joined Denmark in saying that they would defend the “universal principles" of “sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders."

Washington already has a military base in Greenland. Trump hinted on Sunday that a decision on Greenland may come “in about two months," once the situation in Venezuela, where US forces seized President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday, has stabilised.

(With agency inputs)

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