U.S. President Donald Trump announced that extensive oil, gas, and mineral exploration is expected to commence in “our new and beautiful Greenland” early Wednesday.
It was not immediately obvious which exploration activities or developments the U.S. president was referencing in his statement, especially since Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark and not part of the United States.
Trump shared this information on his Truth Social platform after a campaign rally on Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska, where he supported Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan in his bid for a third term against Democratic former U.S. Congresswoman Mary Peltola.
Soaring energy prices, attributed to Trump’s conflict in Iran, are causing significant and ongoing financial strain for the American working class just ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Trump’s remarks on Wednesday likely aim to alleviate voter concerns prior to the election.
However, despite Trump’s enthusiasm, efforts to explore and extract resources in Greenland have faced obstacles for decades due to the island’s severe climate, inadequate infrastructure, and challenging geological conditions. Previous attempts to mine rare earth minerals, along with oil and gas, have stalled at the exploratory phase.
Recent agreement does not confer exploration rights
Trump’s statements regarding Greenland come less than a month after he finalized an agreement with Danish and Greenlandic leaders to enhance security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. This agreement was reached following prolonged tensions with NATO allies concerning Trump’s persistent requests for the U.S. to gain control over the semi-autonomous Danish territory. While the deal does not provide the U.S. with any special exploration rights, it does impose certain restrictions on investments by non-NATO countries in critical sectors.
A young boy walks in Nuuk, Greenland on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. The self-governing Danish territory has consistently rebuffed Trump’s calls for the U.S. to annex the island. (Christinne Muschi/CP)
The agreement also facilitated the establishment of additional U.S. bases in Greenland and reduced tensions over Trump’s repeated requests for the territory to become part of the United States. The terms would remain valid even if Greenland opts for independence in the future.
Trump has shown interest in acquiring Greenland since 2019 and, during his second term, he issued threats to take control of the territory from Denmark, a NATO ally.
Representatives for the leaders of Denmark and Greenland did not respond immediately to inquiries for comment on Wednesday.
Greenland holds significant resources
Greenland is rich in deposits of rare earth minerals essential for manufacturing everything from computers and smartphones to the batteries and technologies that support the shift away from fossil fuels. Currently, China dominates the global supply of these vital minerals, and the Trump administration is working to disrupt Beijing’s control over them.
The U.S. Geological Survey has also identified significant potential offshore reserves of oil and natural gas.
However, accessing these resources could prove extremely challenging: the rare earth minerals are embedded in rock, and the offshore oil and gas reserves are beneath Arctic ice.
Trump emphasizes Greenland’s strategic significance
In his Truth Social post, Trump also highlighted Greenland’s strategic importance, asserting that “from a security perspective in the defense and offense of both the United States of America and Europe,” the island is “second to none.”
“Any future attack on the United States will have to cross Greenland, where our defenses will routinely intercept drones, missiles, or any other types of weaponry not yet even conceived,” he stated. “It offers us time, location, and sightlines like nowhere else on the planet!”
The U.S. maintained a significant presence in Greenland for many decades, but since 1945, the military footprint has diminished from thousands of personnel across 17 bases and installations to about 200 stationed at the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest. This base supports missile warning, defense, and space surveillance operations for both the U.S. and NATO.
Last month, Trump indicated that the U.S. would “immediately begin the process of establishing a large military presence in suitable locations,” which includes “constructing two very significant military bases.”