'Our territory': Trump stakes claim over Greenland - key reasons why he wants control

US President Donald Trump used his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos to renew his demand for American control of Greenland, casting the Arctic territory as a security liability for Europe and insisting that only Washington has the power to defend it.Trump Davos speech - follow live updatesSpeaking on Wednesday, Trump told business and political leaders that “no nation or group of nations is in any position to be able to secure Greenland, other than the United States”, accusing Nato allies of failing to meet their obligations. “Every Nato ally has an obligation to be able to defend their own territory,” he said, before adding: “We’re a great power, much greater than people even understand.”Trump singled out Denmark for particular criticism, accusing Copenhagen of ingratitude and using the Second World War to justify his claim.

“Denmark fell to Germany after just six hours of fighting, and was totally unable to defend either itself or Greenland,” he said, arguing that the US had been “compelled” to step in and establish military bases on what he described as a “big beautiful piece of ice”.Turning to the wider European audience, Trump boasted about America’s wartime role and questioned the post-war settlement that returned Greenland to Danish control. “Without us, you’d be speaking German and Japanese perhaps,” he said. “After the war, we gave Greenland back to Denmark. How stupid were we to do that? How ungrateful are they now?”While briefly striking a conciliatory tone — “I have tremendous respect for the people of Greenland and the people of Denmark” — Trump claimed there was “no sign” of Denmark on the island and accused it of spending less than promised.

“It’s the US alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it,” he said, calling for “immediate negotiations” over Greenland’s future.

Why Greenland matters to Trump

Trump’s renewed push to bring Greenland under US control has unsettled Europe and baffled allies, but his fixation on the vast Arctic island reflects a mix of hard security calculations, economic ambition and political symbolism.Trump has on several instances argued the United States “needs” Greenland for national security.

The island sits between North America and Europe, straddling the strategically vital GIUK gap linking the Arctic to the Atlantic. As melting ice reshapes the region, Washington is increasingly concerned about growing Russian and Chinese activity in Arctic waters and airspace. Greenland’s location makes it central to missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance.The US already operates the Pituffik Space Base under a 1951 defence agreement with Denmark, which allows Washington to expand its military footprint with minimal restrictions.

Denmark has repeatedly offered deeper defence cooperation, arguing that security concerns can be addressed without altering sovereignty.Minerals are another part of the equation. Greenland holds significant rare earth deposits used in defence systems, electric vehicles and renewable energy. While extraction remains difficult due to harsh conditions, weak infrastructure and environmental rules, Trump’s allies have framed Greenland as a way to reduce reliance on China, which dominates global supply chains.

Trump himself has played down the mineral angle, but senior figures around him have not.The Greenland remarks dominated a speech Trump had otherwise framed as a victory lap on the US economy. He dismissed warnings that tariffs and mass federal layoffs would fuel inflation, claimed his return to office had produced an “economic miracle”, and urged Europe to follow Washington’s lead. He also attacked renewable energy, deriding wind turbines as “ineffective money losing windmills” and part of a “green new scam”.