Why does Trump want Greenland, and what could it mean for Nato?

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the US should take over Greenland, arguing that it would benefit his nation’s security.

His demands have been rejected by the island’s leaders and by Nato member Denmark, of which Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory.

Greenland – the world’s largest island which is not a continent – is located in the Arctic.

It is also the most sparsely populated territory. About 56,000 people live there, mostly indigenous Inuit people.

About 80% of its territory is covered by ice, meaning most people live on the south-western coast around the capital, Nuuk.

Greenland’s economy is mainly based on fishing, and it receives large subsidies from the Danish government.

But in recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland’s natural resources, including mining for rare earth minerals, uranium and iron. These may become more accessible as global warming leads to the melting of the massive ice sheet that covers the island.

Valuable mineral resources have been a key focus of Trump elsewhere in the world, including in his dealings with Ukraine.

However, the US president has said: “We need Greenland for national security, not minerals.”

He has also said that “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.

Trump repeated previous calls for the US to take over Greenland following the US military raid on Venezuela, during which its president Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized and removed to New York.

After Trump’s subsequent statements about Greenland, the island’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen responded by saying “that’s enough now”, describing the idea of US control as a “fantasy”.

But Trump and his aides reiterated their threats. The president said he was “very serious” about his plans, adding that Greenland was important for European as well as American security.

In 2019, during his first presidential term, Trump offered to buy the island but was told it was not for sale.

He revived his interest after returning to the White House in January 2025, and has not ruled out the use of force.

There have also been controversial high level visits to Greenland. Vice-President JD Vance travelled there in March and gave a speech accusing Denmark of failing to invest enough to protect the territory.

A fresh row about US intentions was sparked in late 2025 when Trump appointed a special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, who has openly spoken about making the island a part of the US.

Trump’s stance has shocked Denmark, a Nato ally that has traditionally enjoyed close relations with Washington, according to BBC News diplomatic correspondent James Landale.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any effort to take over Greenland would spell the end of Nato – a military alliance of Western nations, of which both Denmark and the US are members.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, another Nato leader, has said only Greenland and Denmark can decide the island’s future.

The European Union’s foreign policy spokesperson said the bloc would defend the principles of “national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Though a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been controlled by Denmark – nearly 3,000km (1,860 miles) away – for about 300 years.

But the US security interest in Greenland also dates back a long way, and two American administrations before Trump made failed efforts to acquire it.

The island was governed as a colony until the mid-20th Century. For much of this time, it remained isolated and poor.

After Nazi Germany occupied mainland Denmark during World War Two, the US invaded the island, establishing military and radio stations.

After the war, American forces remained in Greenland. Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, has been operated by the US ever since.

In 1951, a defence agreement with Denmark granted the US a significant role in the defence of the territory, including the right to build and maintain military bases.

In 1953, the island was made part of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders became Danish citizens.

In 1979, a referendum on home rule gave Greenland control of most policies within the territory, with Denmark retaining control over foreign affairs and defence.

Greenland is home to Danish military bases as well as American ones.

In response to Trump’s threats early in 2026, Greenland Prime Minister Nielsen said: “No more pressure. No more insinuations. No more fantasies of annexation.

“We are open to dialogue. We are open to discussions. But this must happen through the proper channels and with respect for international law.”

When BBC correspondent Fergal Keane visited the island in 2025, he heard one phrase again and again: “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. So, Trump can visit but that’s it.”

The issue took centre stage during the territory’s general election that year.

Polling suggests that most Greenlanders back independence from Denmark, but that an overwhelming majority of them also reject the idea of becoming part of the US.

When Trump first raised the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, many locals said they were opposed to the proposal.

“This is a very dangerous idea,” said Dines Mikaelsen, a tour operator.

“He’s treating us like a good he can purchase,” said Aleqa Hammond, Greenland’s first female prime minister.