Trump’s 2026 Greenland Gambit: Everything You Need to Know
President Donald Trump, says the U.S. needs to “own” Greenland to prevent Russia and China from occupying it in the future.
Source : India TV
US President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States would move to take control of Greenland “the easy way” or “the hard way”, warning Russia or China could otherwise seize the strategically important Arctic island. “If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,”
“I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia,” Trump said. “But I don’t want them as a neighbor in Greenland. Not going to happen. And, by the way, NATO’s got to understand that.”
Denmark has said military action would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance. Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale.
Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump’s threats over the island, which plays a strategic role between North America and the Arctic, and where the United States has had a military base since World War II.
Donald Trump said even though Greenland already has a military presence on the island under a 1951 agreement, U.S. must acquire Greenland, because such delas are not enough to guarantee Greenland’s defense. The island of 57,000 people is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
He said “You defend ownership. You don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland. If we don’t do it, China or Russia will”.
White House officials along with Trump have been discussing various plans to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including potential use of the U.S. military and lump sum payments to the Greenland residents as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the U.S.
Copenhagen leaders and Europeans have reacted with disdain in recent days to the comments by Trump and other White House officials asserting their right to Greenland. Basically, the U.S. and Denmark are NATO allies bound by a mutual defense agreement.
Countries like France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement on Tuesday, saying only Greenland and Denmark can decide matters regarding their relations.