Trump's Greenland Ambitions: A Timeline of a Persistent Pursuit
The former president's long-standing interest in acquiring Greenland, met with staunch opposition from Denmark and Greenland itself, culminated in a recent security agreement.
President Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, first surfaced publicly in 2019. The proposal was swiftly dismissed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen as an "absurd discussion," leading Trump to cancel a planned trip to Denmark.
Weeks before the start of his second term in December 2024, Trump renewed his interest, stating that "the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." Greenland's Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede responded firmly, "we are not for sale and will never be for sale.” The following month, Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland, and the president-elect indicated he would not rule out the use of military force to take control of the island.
This period saw heightened diplomatic activity and local political shifts. In March 2025, Greenland elected a new parliament, with the Demokraatit party winning. However, all five parties in the legislature rejected Trump's acquisition proposals. Shortly thereafter, four parties formed a coalition government with Jens-Frederik Nielsen as prime minister.
Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland's Pituffik Space Base in late March 2025, accusing Denmark of underinvesting in the island's security. Denmark's foreign minister countered by criticizing the tone of the U.S. criticism, while Trump reiterated that military force remained an option.
In August 2025, Denmark's Foreign Ministry summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen following reports that individuals connected to Trump had engaged in covert influence operations in Greenland. The tension escalated in December 2025 when Trump announced Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, with Landry stating his aim was to "make Greenland a part of the U.S." Leaders in Denmark and Greenland reiterated that the territory would not be taken over.
Talk of a U.S. takeover flared again in January 2026, following the U.S. ousting of Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela. Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen warned that a U.S. military takeover of Greenland would signal "the end of NATO." Major European leaders joined Frederiksen in a statement defending Greenland's sovereignty, while the White House stated that "utilizing the U.S. military is always an option" for Trump.
In an interview on January 8, 2026, Trump expressed a desire to possess "the entirety of Greenland" rather than just utilizing existing treaty rights for military posts. Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen stated that Greenland would choose Denmark if forced to decide. Discussions between Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers and U.S. officials Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington resulted in agreement to establish a working group, though public statements revealed differing views on its purpose. Denmark announced plans to increase its military presence in the Arctic, with some European allies sending troops for reconnaissance.
Trump threatened tariffs on goods from eight European nations in mid-January 2026 due to their opposition to U.S. control of Greenland, but later rescinded the threat, announcing a "framework of a future deal" on Arctic security with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
Technical talks commenced in late January 2026. In February 2026, Trump offered to deploy a hospital ship to Greenland, which Greenlandic Prime Minister Nielsen declined. The following July, ahead of a NATO summit, Trump reignited tensions by asserting Greenland "should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," a statement Frederiksen reiterated was not possible as Greenland is "not for sale."
In September 2026, Trump announced a deal to bolster the U.S. military presence in Greenland. Danish officials expressed cautious optimism, with Frederiksen emphasizing the agreement's recognition of Danish sovereignty and Greenlandic self-determination. The agreement was formally signed by Trump, Frederiksen, and Nielsen on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, with all three expressing satisfaction, though Trump did not clarify if his acquisition ambitions were set aside.