EditTrump revives push to acquire Greenland, raising stark challenges for NATO and EU unity
A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said options under consideration include an outright purchase of the vast Arctic island
The White House said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is actively discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including the potential use of the U.S. military, reviving a controversial ambition that has sparked alarm across Europe and posed profound challenges to the cohesion of NATO and the European Union.
Trump views control of Greenland as a critical U.S. national security priority to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” amid growing Russian and Chinese activity, the White House stated.
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” it added.
The renewed push comes in the wake of the U.S. arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which has emboldened Trump to assert greater American dominance in the Western Hemisphere and beyond. He has also applied pressure on Colombia and Cuba while turning attention back to Greenland, an idea first floated publicly in 2019 during his initial term
A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said options under consideration include an outright purchase of the vast Arctic island or a Compact of Free Association (COFA) agreement, which would fall short of full U.S. annexation but establish close ties.
“Diplomacy is always the president’s first option… He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct,” the official said. No potential purchase price was mentioned.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a classified congressional briefing, emphasized that the administration seeks to buy Greenland from Denmark and does not signal an imminent invasion, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Greenland, home to just 57,000 people and rich in untapped minerals vital for high-tech and military applications, has repeatedly rejected U.S. overtures. Leaders in Nuuk insist the island is “not for sale” and does not wish to become part of the United States.
The controversy highlights Greenland’s growing strategic importance in an increasingly contested Arctic, where melting ice is opening new shipping routes and resource opportunities. The island hosts the U.S.-operated Pituffik Space Base, key for missile warning and space surveillance, and its position between North America and Europe makes it vital for NATO’s deterrence posture against Russia and China.
Yet Trump’s threats have exposed deep vulnerabilities for NATO and the EU. A U.S. move against Greenland – an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, a founding NATO member – would constitute an attack on alliance territory, potentially triggering the end of the transatlantic pact that has underpinned European security since World War Two. Danish officials and analysts warn it could fracture NATO from within, eroding trust among allies at a time when the alliance is prioritizing Arctic defence.
🇪🇺🇩🇰 Danish prime minister: "if Donald Trump attacks Greenland, it will be the end of NATO." pic.twitter.com/HsWlup5f2c
— Other Europe 🇪🇺 (@other_europe) January 5, 2026
For the European Union, Greenland represents a strategic blind spot and a test of unity. Although Greenland left the EU’s predecessor in 1985, it maintains special ties as an Overseas Country and Territory associated with Denmark, an EU member. Growing calls for Greenlandic independence from Denmark complicate matters further, raising questions about future EU engagement in the Arctic, mineral partnerships, and collective security without full reliance on U.S. power. European leaders have rallied in solidarity, stressing that Arctic security must be pursued collectively through NATO while upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Leaders from France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, Canada, and others joined Denmark in a joint statement Tuesday affirming that “Greenland belongs to its people” and that only Denmark and Greenland can decide its future.
European leaders rally behind Greenland in face of renewed US threat
U.S. lawmakers, including Republicans and Democrats, have also urged restraint.
“When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honour its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” said bipartisan Senate NATO Observer Group co-chairs Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis.
Administration officials insist the president’s drive remains firm. “It’s not going away,” one said of Trump’s pursuit over his remaining term.
With agencies, edited by g.g.
Caption: US President Donald J Trump waves as he returns to the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 04 January 2026. EPA/AARON SCHWARTZ / POOL
Updated: January 7, 2026 - 07:38
