White House Does Not Rule Out Use of Military In Greenland Following Operations in Venezuela

For years, President Donald Trump has argued that purchasing Greenland is "essential" due to national security concerns, but his intentions have become more explicit in recent weeks. Before the end of 2025, Trump appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as the new U.S. special envoy to Greenland, marking his latest effort to bring the territory under U.S. control.

Recent reports indicate that, much like his approach in Venezuela, Trump has signaled he is serious about his ambitions and has not ruled out the possibility of a military operation on the world's largest island.

In this context, the White House said this week that the use of the military "is always an option" in pursuing control of Greenland, despite warnings from major European powers that they will continue to defend the island's sovereignty.

"President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it is vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, as reported by The Associated Press. "The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander in chief's disposal."

The developments coming from Washington follow a joint statement from the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom, along with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, reaffirming that Greenland "belongs to its people."

"Greenland belongs to its people," the statement said. "It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland."

In the statement, the leaders emphasized that stability in the Arctic should be maintained through collective action with NATO allies, including the United States, grounded in international law and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and established borders, principles they said they remain committed to defending.

Despite those warnings and remarks from the White House, a report by The New York Times revealed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that President Trump's objective is to purchase Greenland rather than seize it by force.

According to the report, Rubio made the comments during a Jan. 5 briefing with members of the armed services and foreign policy committees in both the House and Senate.

While some U.S. officials continue to weigh their options behind the scenes, others have publicly outlined a more aggressive stance.

This week, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the United States could assert control over Greenland without facing military resistance, brushing aside concerns about potential fallout within the NATO alliance.

"Nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland," Miller told CNN's Jake Tapper when asked whether he would rule out the use of force. He argued that global affairs are driven by power rather than legal constraints.

Miller also questioned Denmark's claim to the Arctic territory, which remains part of the Danish kingdom while exercising broad self-rule. Pointing to Greenland's small population, he suggested that military action would not be necessary and said the United States, as NATO's leading power, should control the island to safeguard Arctic interests.

"Obviously Greenland should be part of the U.S.," Miller said, adding that the issue would ultimately be addressed through a broader international process.