US President Donald Trump has said that plans for major oil, gas and mineral exploration are under way in Greenland, claiming the Arctic island holds vast, easily accessible oil resources amid months of elevated global energy prices.
“Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, as global energy prices remain elevated amid the war on Iran.
Trump suggested that some experts consider Greenland to hold some of the world’s largest easily accessible oil reserves but provided no evidence for the claim or details about the planned exploration.
He also described Greenland as vital to defending the US and Europe against future attacks, saying the island’s location would allow American forces to detect and intercept incoming threats.
“Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived,” Trump said.
He added that Greenland offered the US “time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World”, describing the island as “second to none” for American and European security.
The remarks follow a September agreement between Washington, Denmark and Greenland to expand US military presence on the island, including additional bases and missile defence capabilities.
Despite Trump’s reference to “our new” Greenland, the island remains a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The agreement recognises Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
Greenland stopped issuing new oil and gas exploration licences in 2021 over environmental and climate concerns, although licences granted before the decision remain valid.
