US President Donald Trump has said oil, gas and mineral exploration is set to begin in Greenland, highlighting the Arctic island’s strategic importance to American and European security.
Trump made the announcement on Wednesday in a post on Truth Social, claiming that Greenland has substantial oil reserves and significant mineral resources.
“Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!” he wrote, adding that experts had described its readily accessible oil reserves as exceptionally large.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, occupies a strategic position along the shortest route for missiles travelling between Russia and the United States.
Its location has also made it relevant to Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system, while its untapped mineral deposits could become increasingly important as melting Arctic ice opens up new shipping routes.
Trump also described Greenland’s position as vital to the security of the United States and Europe, arguing that it would provide an important vantage point for detecting and intercepting potential threats.
“Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived,” he said.
His remarks follow reports in August that a US oil company had begun preparatory activities in a remote area of eastern Greenland, raising concerns among some residents and local authorities.
In September, Trump signed a 10-page security agreement with leaders of Greenland and Denmark, according to the statement provided.
Under the agreement, the United States is expected to establish two additional military bases at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east, alongside its existing Pituffik Space Base in the north.
Greenland has drawn increasing international attention because of its strategic Arctic location, potential mineral resources and the changing accessibility of the region as global temperatures rise.
