U.S. President Donald Trump said, “The United States needs Greenland for national security. It is vital for the Golden Dome we are building.”
In a statement posted on the Truth Social platform, Trump said the U.S. needs Greenland. The remarks came ahead of a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
Beginning his post by saying, “The United States needs Greenland for national security. It is vital for the Golden Dome we are building,” Trump continued:
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NATO should lead this process and pave the way for us to acquire Greenland.
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If we do not take it, Russia or China will, and that must absolutely not happen.
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From a military standpoint, NATO cannot be an effective force or a deterrent without the tremendous power of the United States—much of which I built during my first term and am now taking to a new and much higher level.
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It cannot even come close to that. They know it, and I know it.
Trump’s long-standing remarks about Greenland are not new in U.S. history. Here are some past initiatives:
1867–1868: The First U.S. Attempt
U.S. Secretary of State William Seward raised the idea of purchasing Greenland as part of a broader policy of territorial expansion in the Arctic. Seward emphasized the region’s rich natural resources, particularly coal. However, the U.S. Congress showed little interest, and the idea never became an official proposal.
1910: Proposal for a Territorial Exchange
During the presidency of William Howard Taft, U.S. diplomats put forward a complex plan involving the transfer of Greenland to the United States in exchange for concessions in other regions. Denmark rejected the proposal, and the plan was shelved.
1946: The $100 Million Gold Offer
At the beginning of the Cold War, the administration of President Harry Truman formally offered Denmark $100 million worth of gold to purchase Greenland, citing its strategic importance. During World War II, a U.S.-built airfield on the island had served as a key refueling stop for military aircraft heading to Europe.
Denmark rejected Truman’s offer, but U.S. military access continued. This presence remains today at the remote Pituffik Space Base, the U.S. Department of Defense’s northernmost facility.
Last month, military analyst Aleksey Leonkov also stated that amid Europe’s economic crisis, Denmark might be in need of additional funds.