President Donald Trump fueled fresh uncertainty Tuesday, offering a terse ‘you’ll find out’ when asked at the White House how far he would go to get Greenland.
Trump dismissed concerns that Greenlanders do not want to join the U.S. and that a move to seize the island would undermine the NATO alliance.
In recent weeks, Trump has zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island and a strategic outpost in the Arctic.
The remote, semi-autonomous Danish territory, a NATO ally, hosts a key U.S. military base and occupies a strategic position in an Arctic region growing more competitive as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and access to critical resources.
Trump has repeatedly framed Greenland as a national security necessity, arguing that Russia and China would gain ground in the region if the U.S. does not acquire it.
The latest revelation comes as Trump heads to the snow-capped city of Davos, Switzerland, where global leaders have flocked to attend the World Economic Forum.
The issue of Greenland is likely to dominate the sidelines of the summit as European leaders grapple with Trump’s fresh threat to impose tariffs on countries opposing his Greenland plans.
The threat of additional tariffs comes as his administration awaits a Supreme Court ruling on whether some of the trade duties he imposed in 2025 were legal.
European leaders suggested over the weekend that they would be willing to hit back with retaliatory measures worth up to $107.7 billion.
Trump first raised the idea of acquiring Greenland during his previous term, drawing swift pushback from Denmark and other European leaders, resistance he now appears willing to confront again.
Whether the Trump administration strikes a deal to take over Greenland remains unclear. But as ice melts and competition in the Arctic intensifies, the island’s strategic importance is only likely to grow.