US President Donald Trump Weighs Options to Acquire Greenland, Military Use ‘Always an Option,’ White House Says

U.S. President Donald Trump and his advisers are actively discussing options for the United States to acquire Greenland — and the possible use of the U.S. military in pursuit of that goal is “always an option,” the White House said on Tuesday.

In a statement responding to questions from Reuters, the White House described Greenland as a national security priority that the United States needs to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region.” Trump’s renewed focus on the Arctic territory comes amid rising geopolitical competition from rivals such as Russia and China.

“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the statement said.

A senior U.S. official told Reuters that talks are ongoing in the Oval Office about possible paths to achieve the objective, which include an outright purchase of Greenland or arranging a Compact of Free Association (COFA) that would strengthen U.S. influence without fully incorporating the territory. A potential price tag for any purchase has not been disclosed.

Greenland, a vast island with roughly 57,000 residents, is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has repeatedly stated that it does not want to become part of the United States. Danish authorities also have firmly rejected notions of a takeover.

European and NATO allies have voiced strong objections to the idea. Leaders from several major European powers and Canada issued statements affirming that “Greenland belongs to its people” and should remain under Danish sovereignty, reinforcing concerns that any U.S. military action against an ally could strain the NATO alliance.

Trump’s latest remarks mark a revival of a long-running interest in Greenland that first surfaced publicly during his earlier presidency, but have reignited tensions with allies and prompted fresh debate over Arctic security, international law and alliance commitments