Former US President Donald Trump's long-standing fascination with the icy island of Greenland has dramatically resurfaced, transforming a once-dismissed idea into a live geopolitical flashpoint in early 2026. What began as an eccentric proposal during his first term in 2019 has now evolved into a sustained strategic push, framed around US national security and dominance in the Arctic region.
A New Envoy and Renewed Ambitions
In a move that confirmed the seriousness of his intentions, Donald Trump has nominated Jeff Landry, a MAGA ally, as the United States' first-ever special envoy to Greenland. This newly created role, announced in January 2026, signals a formal and renewed American interest in the autonomous Danish territory. The appointment was met with immediate concern in Copenhagen. Danish officials were quick to stress that Greenland is not "on the clearance rack" for sale or expansion, setting the stage for a diplomatic confrontation.
Trump has repeatedly framed his interest as a matter of urgent national survival. In a statement, he declared, "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity." This rhetoric has alarmed traditional allies across Europe, who view it as a destabilizing claim on sovereign territory.
Security, Strategy, and Arctic Competition
While Greenland is known to possess vast mineral resources, Trump insists his primary drive is security, not economics. The island's strategic location in the Arctic places it along key military and shipping routes between North America and Europe. In Trump's worldview, this makes Greenland invaluable for monitoring rivals and controlling strategic choke points.
The geopolitical context is crucial. As climate change melts polar ice, new Arctic shipping lanes are opening, shifting the region from an area of scientific cooperation to one of intense competition. For the Trump administration, Greenland represents a forward operating base to counter the expanding influence of Russia and China in the High North. The US already operates the critical Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) in Greenland under a 1951 defence agreement, which supports missile warning and space surveillance. Trump uses this existing footprint to argue that Greenland is already central to American homeland defence.
Fierce International Backlash and Local Resistance
The move has triggered strong and unified pushback from both Denmark and Greenland's local government. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the envoy appointment confirmed "continued American interest," but issued a stern warning. "We insist that everyone—including the US—must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he said, calling the nomination "completely unacceptable."
Most significantly, Greenland's own leadership rejected any US claim outright. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen asserted local sovereignty, stating, "We will determine our future ourselves. Greenland is our country. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected." This underscores the potent local resistance to any talk of annexation or forced transaction.
The situation also pulls NATO politics into the fray. Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member. Trump has historically accused European allies of underinvesting in defence, and the Greenland issue strengthens his argument that the US bears a disproportionate security burden, thus deserving greater leverage or control over strategic assets.
With US intelligence warning of Washington's willingness to use economic and military pressure, and with both Russia and China actively seeking influence in the Arctic, Greenland has become a central symbol in Trump's 2026 vision of American power, deterrence, and global dominance. The icy island's future is now a heated topic in international diplomacy.
