The White House said Tuesday that President Donald Trump and his senior advisers are actively weighing options to acquire Greenland, with the potential use of the U.S. military remaining on the table as part of that effort.
In a statement responding to questions from Reuters, the White House framed Greenland as a national security priority, saying that American control or alignment with the Arctic territory would help counter growing activity by Russia and China in the region. Officials said the president views Arctic dominance as central to U.S. defense strategy.
“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,” the White House said, as reported by Reuters.
A senior U.S. official confirmed that discussions inside the Oval Office have intensified in recent days, with advisers reviewing multiple pathways for bringing Greenland into closer alignment with Washington. Those talks have continued despite vocal objections from Greenland’s leaders, who have repeatedly rejected any move to join the United States.
Expressions of support for Greenland from NATO leaders have not slowed the administration’s push, according to the official, per Reuters. “It’s not going away,” the official said of Trump’s effort to secure Greenland during his remaining three years in office.
“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to The Hill.
Administration officials have floated several options, including a direct U.S. purchase of the island or a Compact of Free Association Agreement (COFA). A COFA would stop short of formally making Greenland part of the United States, instead establishing a close strategic and economic partnership. Officials did not provide a potential purchase price.
While the administration has kept military options on the table, aides said Trump prefers negotiation first. “Diplomacy is always the president’s first option,” the official said, adding that Trump favors dealmaking and would pursue an agreement if he believes favorable terms are achievable.
Trump has repeatedly pressed to place Greenland under U.S. control, saying that the island’s Arctic location linking North America and Europe makes it strategically indispensable. In late December, Trump tapped Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to serve as the U.S. envoy overseeing the effort.
Leaders in Greenland and Denmark pushed back after Trump raised the possibility of bringing the Arctic island under U.S. control.
“The Kingdom of Denmark — and thus Greenland — is part of NATO and is therefore covered by the alliance’s security guarantee. We already have a defense agreement between the Kingdom and the United States today, which gives the United States wide access to Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a Sunday statement. “I would therefore strongly urge the United States to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have said very clearly that they are not for sale.”
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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