Why does Trump want Greenland? Arctic security, critical minerals at stake

Here's why Trump may be keen on acquiring Greenland, and why it's an important strategic security asset no matter who's in charge.

For months, U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants to take control of Greenland.

That rhetoric has returned in the aftermath of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela last weekend, which underscored Trump’s overall vision of American dominance over the Western Hemisphere.

Trump and the White House have since made clear that approach also extends to Greenland, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a NATO ally of the U.S. and Canada.

“The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world that he views it in the best interest of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday.

Leavitt wouldn’t rule out possible U.S. military action to acquire Greenland, saying the administration was considering “all options” but that Trump’s “first option always has been diplomacy.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Wednesday that he’ll be meeting with Danish officials next week, and that it’s “always been” Trump’s intent to purchase Greenland, rather than acquire it by force.

“This is not new,” he said. “He talked about it in his first term, and he’s not the first U.S. president that has examined or looked at how we could acquire Greenland.”

Greenland and Denmark, as well as Canada and European allies, have reaffirmed this week that Greenland’s future must be decided by its people alone.