President Donald Trump has said “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in Greenland, without providing details of any planned projects.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump claimed that experts believe the island holds more easily accessible oil than “almost any land, anywhere in the World”.
He also described Greenland as strategically important to the defence of the United States and Europe. Mr Trump said any future attack on the US would have to come across the semi-autonomous island, where American defences could intercept drones, missiles and other weapons.
The comments came more than four weeks after the US, Greenland and Denmark signed a new security agreement designed to strengthen the American military and security presence on the island.
Denmark oversees Greenland, which has extensive deposits of critical minerals. The agreement focuses primarily on military use of the territory but also refers to resource extraction and “minerals cooperation” between the US and Denmark.
It gives the US broad access to Greenland’s airspace and territory and allows the expansion of Pituffik Space Base, the country’s northernmost US military installation and an early-warning site for incoming missiles.
The agreement also permits the US to establish additional bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, roughly 950 miles apart. Further “defense areas” can be proposed by any of the three parties, subject to approval by the others.
The deal has no expiry date and prevents non-Nato countries from establishing bases on Greenland without the agreement of the US, Denmark and Greenland.
Mr Trump has previously cited Greenland’s strategic location as a reason for seeking greater US control over the island. He has suggested buying it from Denmark or using military force.
Industry experts have said Greenland’s mineral resources have been only lightly explored, while the cost of extraction has so far prevented private companies from finding it economically viable.
