US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that “massive exploitation of oil, gas and minerals is about to begin” in Greenland, signaling a major new push to develop the Arctic island’s vast natural resources, although he provided no further details about the planned initiative. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that “some experts say the amount of available oil there is far greater than that of almost any landmass, anywhere in the world.”
The president’s announcement comes approximately one month after the United States, Denmark and Greenland reached an agreement intended to ease tensions following Trump’s repeated threats to take control of the autonomous island or gain access to its enormous natural resources. The agreement recognizes Denmark’s sovereignty and the right of Greenland’s residents to self-determination, but does not explicitly mention oil or gas. However, it does refer to “mineral cooperation” and “cooperation on economic development and business promotion” — provisions that Trump says give the United States “permanent control” over the island’s security.
The agreement also paves the way for the establishment of additional American military bases and guarantees US military access should Greenland declare independence from Denmark. Beyond the economic potential, Trump emphasized the security importance of the initiative. “Any future attack on the United States will have to pass through Greenland, where our defense will routinely intercept drones, missiles or any other form of weapon that has not even been invented yet,” the president wrote. Researchers have previously estimated that extracting Greenland’s minerals would be particularly difficult and expensive because many deposits are located in remote, ice-covered regions.