White House says US military “always an option” as Trump renews push to acquire Greenland

The White House has said President Donald Trump and his advisers are weighing “a range of options” to acquire Greenland, including the possibility of using US military force, as European leaders warned that only Denmark and Greenland can decide the territory’s future.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump views acquiring Greenland as a national security priority, citing the need to deter US adversaries in the Arctic, and added that “utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal.”

European leaders issued a joint statement rejecting any US takeover rhetoric, saying: “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

The latest escalation has intensified concerns about tensions within NATO, since Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, which—like the United States—is a NATO member.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated in a closed briefing that the administration’s goal is to buy Greenland from Denmark, according to reporting cited by multiple outlets.

Trump’s renewed comments have drawn heightened scrutiny after the US operation that captured Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, a move that has prompted international debate over the precedent of direct US intervention.

Meanwhile, senior White House adviser Stephen Miller has argued that the US “should have Greenland as part of the United States,” saying he did not believe anyone would fight the US militarily over the island’s future.

In Washington, Democratic lawmakers have warned that the episode risks destabilising the alliance. Senator Ruben Gallego has said he plans to introduce a measure aimed at blocking any move to invade Greenland.