US President Donald Trump has announced plans for what he described as “massive oil, gas and mineral exploration” in Greenland, despite the territory’s ban on new oil and gas exploration permits and the absence of drilling or mining rights in a recent US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump referred to the Danish autonomous territory as “our new and beautiful Greenland” and highlighted its strategic importance for US and European defense. He claimed the island could hold substantial oil reserves but provided no details of specific projects, timelines or agreements to support the announcement.
The statement comes after an agreement signed last month to expand the US military presence in the Arctic territory, including plans for two major bases and support for Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system.
However, the agreement reaffirmed Danish sovereignty over Greenland and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination. It did not grant Washington any special rights to explore or extract the territory’s natural resources.
Greenland banned new oil exploration licenses in 2021, citing environmental concerns and the risks associated with fossil fuel extraction. The island is also home to potentially valuable rare earth minerals and offshore oil and gas deposits, but harsh Arctic conditions, limited infrastructure and environmental restrictions have made commercial extraction challenging.
Greenlandic lawmaker Naaja H. Nathanielsen has said that major resource projects remain years away from becoming commercially viable, cautioning that the island’s oil resources would not provide an immediate solution to high energy costs in the US.
Trump has sought to acquire Greenland since 2019, arguing that its strategic location and mineral wealth are vital to US national security. He has also previously refused to rule out the use of force to take control of the territory, drawing strong objections from Denmark and Greenland.
Danish security adviser Jacob Kaarsbo has cautioned that the latest agreement does not necessarily mean Trump has abandoned his ambitions for Greenland. Greenlandic and Danish officials had not immediately commented on the US president’s latest announcement.
