The White House has stated that using the US military is 'always an option' to gain control of Greenland, a mineral-rich, largely self-governing part of Denmark. However, few analysts believe an armed operation is likely, and France’s foreign minister has said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ruled out an invasion.
Despite this, Donald Trump’s unpredictability and recent events in Venezuela mean nothing can be entirely excluded. The US has other avenues to pursue the president’s territorial ambitions for Greenland, which holds significant strategic and resource value.
Possible options include economic pressure, such as offering financial incentives or trade deals to Denmark, or leveraging diplomatic negotiations. Another approach could involve increasing US military presence in the region without a full takeover, or supporting Greenlandic independence movements to later forge a closer relationship.
Analysts suggest that any realistic path would require Danish consent or a Greenlandic referendum, making outright coercion unlikely. The situation remains fluid, with Trump’s administration continuing to emphasise the importance of Greenland for US national security interests.
