Washington: In a recent interview with NBC News, President Donald Trump once again floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, suggesting that the use of military force to annex the Danish territory remains on the table.
Speaking to journalist Kristen Welker, Trump stated, “I don’t rule it out,” referring to the prospect of Greenland becoming part of the United States. “We need Greenland very badly,” he added, citing national security as a key concern.
Trump emphasized Greenland’s strategic importance, highlighting its location between North America and Europe, as well as its potential role in defense against Russian threats. The island’s location within a vital maritime corridor — the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap — further boosts its significance in global geopolitics. Trump also hinted at the island’s untapped wealth of natural resources, including rare earth minerals, oil, and gas, which are expected to become more accessible as the Arctic ice recedes due to climate change.
Despite Denmark and Greenland firmly rejecting previous attempts by Trump to purchase the island, the president has maintained an interest in bringing it under U.S. control — whether by purchase, economic pressure, or force. Greenland’s leadership has forcefully pushed back, with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen declaring in March, “We do not belong to anyone else. We decide our own future.”
Greenland is not alone at Trump's target, Trump has also made controversial remarks about Canada, suggesting it could become the 51st U.S. state. Although he downplayed the possibility of using military force against America’s northern neighbor, he called the idea of Canadian annexation “great,” saying the country would be a “cherished state.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who recently secured reelection, responded firmly in his victory speech, stating that Canada would “never” submit to U.S. control. Trump later described Carney as a “very nice man” and confirmed they spoke after the election, though the annexation issue wasn’t discussed.
Carney is scheduled to visit Washington this week, and while Trump downplayed expectations of a confrontation, he noted, “I’ll always talk about that,” when asked if the annexation of Canada would be on the agenda.
