(James FitzGerald’s post from the BBC NEWS UK on 22 January 2026.)
Why
does Trump want Greenland and what could it mean for Nato and the EU? US
President Donald Trump has said he is seeking "immediate
negotiations" to acquire Greenland for national security reasons - and
insisted he "won't use force".
His
repeated demands to take control of the territory have been rejected by
Greenland's leaders, and by Nato member Denmark, of which the island is a
semi-autonomous territory. This has led to a wider diplomatic row, with Trump
initially threatening additional trade tariffs against a number of European
allies for opposing his plans.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said he had dropped the proposed tariffs after forming "the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland" following talks with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Where is Greenland and why is it important to Trump?
Greenland
- the world's largest island - is located in the Arctic. At about 2.2 million
sq km (836,330 square miles), it is roughly six times the size of Germany. It
is also the most sparsely populated global territory, with a population of
about 56,000 people, mostly indigenous Inuit people.
Its
location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early
warning systems in the event of missile attacks, and for monitoring vessels in
the region. At the height of the Cold War, the US had plans to station nuclear
missiles on the island but abandoned the project over engineering problems and
objections by Denmark.
The
US has operated Pituffik Space Base - formerly known as Thule Air Base - since
World War Two. The base currently monitors for missiles.
Map
showing the location of Greenland and the capital Nuuk, relatively to Denmark,
Canada and the United States. Also labelled is the US capital Washington. About
80% of Greenland is covered by ice, meaning most people live on the
south-western coast around the capital, Nuuk.
Its
economy is mainly based on fishing, and it receives large subsidies from the
Danish government. In recent years, there has been increased interest in
Greenland's natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron.
It could also have significant oil and gas reserves.
Trump
has focused on such resources elsewhere - including in his dealings with
Ukraine - but denies they are behind his desire for Greenland. However he has
repeatedly described the threat he perceives from Russia and China in the
region.
In
one Truth Social post, he wrote: "Nato has been telling Denmark, for 20
years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.'
Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time,
and it will be done!!!" In a text message to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas
Gahr Støre, Trump also said that he no longer felt obliged to focus on peace
after not being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
How could Donald Trump 'take' Greenland?
peaking
in Davos on Wednesday, Trump said only the US could protect, develop and
improve Greenland. He also argued that the US could claim the
island because of its efforts to defend the territory during World War Two
after Denmark was invaded by Germany. "We
already had it, but we returned it to Denmark" he said, adding that the US
"should have kept it". But he insisted the US would not use force.
"We
probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and
force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that," Trump
told an audience of world leaders. "I don't have to use force, I don't
want to use force, I won't use force," he added. He also denied that a US
takeover would be damaging to Nato, insisting that the US is "treated very
unfairly" by the military alliance and gets very little despite
"[giving] so much".
However,
after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Nato provided large scale support to the US
under Article 5, which states that an attack on one member is considered an
attack against all. This was the first use of Nato military assets under
Article 5.
What tariffs has Trump announced and why?
On
17 January, Trump threatened new 10% trade tariffs "on any and all
goods" sent to the US from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the
UK, the Netherlands and Finland if those countries do not support his plans.
These would take effect on 1 February, increasing to 25% from 1 June if no deal
has been agreed.
He
withdrew the tariff threat following what Trump called "a very productive
meeting" with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos. While the terms
of an agreement relating to US interests in Greenland has not been formalised,
he said the pair agreed on "the framework for a future deal".
Trump
previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, during his first
presidential term, but was told it was not for sale. He revived his interest
shortly after returning to the White House in January 2025. Vice-President JD
Vance visited Greenland in March that year, and gave a speech accusing Denmark
of failing to invest enough to protect the territory.
In
late 2025, Trump appointed a special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, who spoke
openly about making the island a part of the US. Trump ramped up calls to take
over Greenland after a US military raid on Venezuela in early January 2026,
during which the country's president Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized
and taken to New York to face criminal charges.
What have Denmark and other NATO allies said about Greenland's future?
The
territory does not have its own independent military and is not a member of
Nato, but is part of the alliance through Denmark. Responding to the threat of
further tariffs, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen insisted that
"Europe won't be blackmailed".
She
and other European leaders issued a joint statement warning that Trump's words
would "undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward
spiral". Her UK counterpart Sir Keir Starmer said the move was
"completely wrong", while French President Emmanuel Macron said the
"endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the US was
"fundamentally unacceptable".
EU
chief Ursula von der Leyen said Europe's response would be "unflinching,
united and proportional". European nations have repeatedly said that only
Denmark and Greenland can decide the territory's future.
On
14 January, Vance and Rubio met the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers at
the White House. At the time, Denmark's foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen
described the talks as "frank but constructive," but warned there was
a "fundamental disagreement" between the two countries.
Several
European countries including France, Sweden and Germany have since sent
military personnel to the territory for exercises and security purposes. Denmark
has also proposed that Nato should start surveillance operations in Greenland.
Why does Denmark control Greenland?
Though
a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been controlled by
Denmark – nearly 3,000km (1,860 miles) away – for about 300 years. The island
was governed as a colony until the mid-20th Century. For much of this time, it
remained isolated and poor.
After
Nazi Germany occupied mainland Denmark during World War Two, the US invaded the
island, establishing military and radio stations. After the war, American
forces remained in Greenland.
In
1951, a defence agreement with Denmark granted the US a significant role in the
defence of the territory, including the right to build and maintain military
bases. In 1953, the island was made part of the Kingdom of Denmark and
Greenlanders became Danish citizens.
In
1979, a referendum on home rule gave Greenland control of most policies within
the territory, with Denmark retaining control over foreign affairs and defence.
Greenland has a Danish military presence as well as an American one.
What do the people of Greenland think about Trump and his threats?
Greenland's
Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen has repeatedly rejected Trump's arguments,
dismissing the idea of US control as a "fantasy". Polling suggests
that most Greenlanders back independence from Denmark, but that an overwhelming
majority of them also reject the idea of becoming part of the US. Thousands of
people have taken to the streets in both Greenland and Denmark to protest
against Trump's plans.
