US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that "massive" oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in Greenland, posting on his Truth Social platform without providing operational details.
"Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!" Trump wrote. He cited unnamed experts who, he said, believe Greenland holds easily accessible oil reserves far greater than almost any other territory in the world.
Trump did not specify which companies would be involved, where exploration would take place, or when operations would begin. He offered no timeline or additional details about prospective American involvement in the projects.
The announcement follows a security agreement signed in September between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland. That accord expanded the US military's presence on the Arctic island, paving the way for two new American military bases and Trump's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system. The agreement reaffirmed Danish sovereignty and Greenland's right to self-determination.
Trump emphasized Greenland's strategic importance for US and European security. "Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived," he wrote. He added that the island's location provides "time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World."
Greenland's government pushed back against Trump's characterization of imminent large-scale operations. Deputy Mining Minister Jørgen Hammeken-Holm told CNN that while "there are activities by US companies," the territory is "very far away from 'massive' exploration." He noted that smaller exploration efforts are underway but "could take years to become operational."
Hammeken-Holm cited the difficulties and enormous expense involved in extracting resources from Greenland. Many of the island's deposits are located in remote areas above the Arctic Circle, where a mile-thick polar ice sheet and minimal infrastructure complicate operations. Approximately 80 percent of the island is covered in ice.
Greenland's government banned new oil and gas permits in 2021, citing environmental and economic concerns. Officials determined that potential deposits would be unprofitable or loss-making to extract. Previously approved projects remained permitted under the ban.
The announcement came weeks after months of tension during which Trump repeatedly threatened to take control of Greenland by force, angering NATO allies Denmark and Greenland's leadership. The September security agreement was presented as resolving those disputes while allowing expanded US military cooperation in the Arctic region.