US President Donald Trump’s long-standing ambition to bring Greenland under American control is gaining new momentum, with a senior White House official indicating that Washington could move decisively on the Arctic territory within weeks or months. The remarks suggest that what was once dismissed as a provocative idea is now being treated inside the administration as a live policy track with a compressed timeline.
In an interview with USA Today, Thomas Dans, who serves as Trump’s Arctic commissioner, said the push for Greenland is entering a more urgent phase, reflecting the president’s determination to act quickly. Dans portrayed the effort as a process that could see rapid movement on some fronts even as others take longer to resolve, making it clear that the White House is no longer viewing the issue as a distant or theoretical objective.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s strategic importance makes it vital to US national security. The island sits astride key Arctic and North Atlantic routes and is seen by Washington as critical to monitoring Russian and Chinese activity in the region. It also holds large reserves of rare earth minerals and other natural resources that are increasingly important to advanced technologies and defence industries. In the administration’s view, securing a dominant position in Greenland would significantly strengthen America’s geopolitical and economic leverage in the Arctic.
While officials have not publicly detailed the steps being contemplated, the White House has kept a wide range of options on the table, from deepened financial engagement and political incentives to broader diplomatic arrangements that could reshape Greenland’s relationship with Denmark. Trump himself has previously refused to rule out any approach, underlining how seriously he views the issue.
The renewed US push is likely to sharpen tensions with both Denmark and Greenland. Danish leaders have consistently stated that Greenland is not for sale and that its future can only be decided by its people. The government in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, has also stressed that while many residents favour greater autonomy or eventual independence from Denmark, there is little appetite for becoming part of the United States. Public opinion on the island remains wary of any move that could compromise local control over land, resources and political institutions.
The timing of Washington’s renewed interest adds another layer of complexity. The Arctic has become a focal point of global rivalry as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to untapped resources. The United States, Russia and China are all expanding their presence in the region, raising the stakes around Greenland’s strategic position. Against this backdrop, Trump’s push is being interpreted not just as a real estate play but as part of a broader effort to assert American dominance in a rapidly changing geopolitical theatre.
With the White House signalling that tangible steps could come in the near term, diplomatic activity around Greenland is expected to intensify. How Denmark and Greenland respond, and whether Washington can translate its ambitions into concrete agreements, will determine whether Trump’s Arctic gamble moves beyond rhetoric into a defining foreign policy confrontation in the months ahead.