In late 2018, President Trump asked his national security adviser, John Bolton , to weigh in on an idea floated by a prominent businessman: Should the U.S. buy Greenland? Trump claims Greenland is vital to U.S. national security and deterring China and Russia in the region. “Many of this President’s predecessors recognized the strategic logic of acquiring Greenland, but only President Trump has had the courage to pursue this seriously,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. Trump’s push is uniting European resistance to Trump, and Trump has become more acrimonious in his demands in recent days. Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered in the Danish capital in front of the U.S. Embassy to demonstrate against Trump’s Greenland ambitions.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 20, 2026 09:32 UTC