President Donald Trump answers reporter questions during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo)
US President Donald Trump has said the United States needs to “own” Greenland to stop Russia and China from gaining influence there, according to the BBC.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Friday, Trump said countries must have ownership to defend territory. “Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases,” he said, adding that the US would have to defend Greenland.
.@POTUS: "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland — and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor. I would like to make a deal the easy way." pic.twitter.com/O3wH89icOp
Trump said the US would do it “the easy way” or “the hard way”. His remarks come after the White House said it was considering buying the semi-autonomous Danish territory, while not ruling out other options.
Denmark and Greenland have both said the territory is not for sale. Denmark has warned that any military action would end the transatlantic defence alliance.
Greenland’s location between North America and the Arctic makes it important for early warning systems against missile attacks and for monitoring ships in the region.
Trump said Greenland was vital to US national security. He claimed, without giving evidence, that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.
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The US already has more than 100 military personnel at the Pituffik Space Base in north-west Greenland, a facility operated by the US since World War Two. Under agreements with Denmark, the US can deploy additional troops there if needed.
However, Trump said lease agreements were not enough. “Countries can’t make nine-year deals or even 100-year deals,” he said. “They have to have ownership.”
“I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia,” Trump added. “But I don’t want them as a neighbour in Greenland.”
He also said Nato needed to understand the US position. Denmark’s Nato allies, including major European countries and Canada, have voiced support for Copenhagen.
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They said that only Denmark and Greenland can decide their future and stressed that Arctic security should be handled by allies together. They also called for respect for international law, including sovereignty and the protection of borders.
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President Donald Trump answers reporter questions during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo) 
