The renewed controversy and interest regarding the United States, Greenland, and President Trump is driven by a combination of immediate political actions and long-term strategic interests.
Based on the latest developments (as of January 2026), here is the breakdown of the causes behind this situation:
1. The Immediate Cause: Renewed Demands (2025–2026)
While Donald Trump first expressed interest in buying Greenland in 2019, the situation has escalated since his return to office in 2025.
- “Absolute Necessity”: President Trump has reportedly declared that US ownership/control of Greenland is a “national security necessity.”
- Escalated Rhetoric: In early January 2026, the White House indicated that “all options,” including military ones, were being considered to secure US interests in the region. This moved the issue from a “real estate idea” to a serious diplomatic standoff with Denmark and NATO.
2. Strategic & Military Causes (The “Why”)
The primary driver is the changing geopolitics of the Arctic. The US views Greenland not just as land, but as a critical military asset.
- Pituffik Space Base (Thule): The US already operates this base in northern Greenland. It is vital for missile warning, space surveillance, and tracking potential threats from Russia or China.
- The GIUK Gap: Greenland is a key part of the “GIUK Gap” (Greenland-Iceland-UK), a naval choke point in the North Atlantic. Controlling this allows the US/NATO to monitor Russian submarines entering the Atlantic.
- Countering Russia & China:
- Russia has aggressively militarized its Arctic coast.
- China calls itself a “near-Arctic state” and is seeking to invest in Greenland’s infrastructure (the “Polar Silk Road”). The US wants to block these rivals from gaining a foothold in North America
