WASHINGTON — The White House has openly acknowledged that the use of U.S. military force is being considered as President Donald Trump intensifies his push to acquire Greenland, framing the Arctic territory as a “national security priority” for the United States.
In a statement Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is weighing “a range of options” to secure Greenland, adding that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal.” The remarks mark the clearest signal yet that Washington is prepared to challenge long-standing assumptions about sovereignty in the Arctic.
Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland comes days after the U.S. military operation that led to the arrest and extraction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro — an episode that has sharply raised alarm levels among U.S. allies. European capitals are no longer dismissing Trump’s rhetoric as political theater.
Within hours of the White House statement, France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, and Denmark issued a rare joint response, reaffirming that “Greenland belongs to its people” and warning that Arctic security must be achieved collectively through NATO, not coercion. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was blunt: any U.S. military move against a NATO ally would shatter the foundations of post–World War II transatlantic security.
Behind the scenes, U.S. officials say alternatives remain on the table, including purchasing Greenland from Denmark or negotiating a compact of free association — arrangements Washington already maintains with several Pacific island nations. Still, the explicit mention of military force has shifted the debate from diplomacy to deterrence.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, escalated tensions further by declaring that it is now the formal position of the administration that “Greenland should be part of the United States,” while questioning Denmark’s legal basis for sovereignty — a claim Copenhagen rejects outright, citing international law and historic treaties.
Even within Washington, unease is visible. House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly distanced himself from the idea of military action, calling it “not appropriate,” though he acknowledged Greenland’s strategic value.
What is clear is this: after Venezuela, Trump’s Arctic ambitions are being taken seriously — and not just in Europe. Greenland has become the next stress test of a doctrine that increasingly treats geography, resources, and power as negotiable.
