Trump eyes Greenland’s riches, but leaves key details out
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says large-scale oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in Greenland, but has not identified the companies involved, the locations to be explored or a timetable for work. His announcement follows last month’s security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, which expanded Washington’s military access while preserving Danish sovereignty.
Writing on Truth Social early on Wednesday, Trump described the territory as “our new and beautiful Greenland” and claimed unnamed experts believed it held exceptionally large quantities of easily accessible oil. He provided no supporting estimates or explanation of how the proposed exploration would proceed.
Greenland remains a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The September agreement did not transfer ownership to the United States, despite Trump’s wording. It reaffirmed Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination while providing for a larger American defence presence.
The agreement, signed on 22 September, updates longstanding security arrangements and provides for additional US military facilities and capabilities associated with Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile-defence system. It also places restrictions on certain foreign military activities and sensitive investments. The accord requires the necessary parliamentary approvals in Denmark and Greenland before taking effect.
Trump linked his latest resource announcement to those defence arrangements, arguing that Greenland’s location would give the United States greater warning and interception capabilities against approaching threats. He presented the territory’s geography as an advantage for both American and European security.
The resource plans face a separate set of practical and regulatory requirements. Greenland stopped issuing new oil and gas exploration licences in 2021, citing environmental and climate concerns, although previously granted licences remained valid. Trump’s statement did not explain which permissions would support the activity he announced or whether any new approvals had been secured.
Mineral projects operate under Greenland’s own legislative framework. Its Mineral Resources Authority identifies the Mining Act, which came into force in January 2024, as the framework governing mineral activities. Expanded American military access does not itself establish that a particular commercial exploration project has received permission to proceed.
There are also substantial physical challenges. CNN reported that researchers have previously warned of the difficulty and expense of developing Greenland’s mineral deposits, many of which lie in remote Arctic locations. Geological potential alone does not establish that resources can be extracted economically, and exploration does not guarantee a commercially viable discovery.
Existing projects illustrate the importance of securing approvals. In August, the Financial Times reported delays to a proposed oil-drilling programme in Greenland’s Jameson Land Basin because permits and regulatory authorisations were still required. Trump did not identify whether Wednesday’s announcement referred to that project or another development.
His remarks therefore establish an intention to pursue Greenland’s resources, rather than confirmation that drilling or mining has begun. The scale of any programme will become clearer when operators, exploration areas, financing and Greenlandic approvals are identified. For now, the president’s broad promise goes further than the operational details made public.
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