Airmen conduct engine runs on an F-35A Lightning II aircraft on the ramp at Thule Air Base, Greenland, in 2023. President-elect Donald Trump has said that the U.S. must take possession of Greenland for national security reasons. (Benjamin Wiseman/U.S. Air Force)
STUTTGART, Germany — President-elect Donald Trump’s assertion this week that the United States must take possession of Greenland cast a spotlight upon U.S. military operations on the landmass, as the Arctic ice thins and competition with Russia and China grows.
Since the 1940s, the Pentagon has valued Greenland, which serves as a gateway to the Arctic. During the Cold War, the military had more than 10,000 troops in its territory, which hosts Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base.
Today, the nuclear armed long-range bombers that were part of the original Cold War force are gone. But a ballistic missile early warning mission carries on. About 200 active-duty U.S. Air Force and Space Force personnel are part of that effort, which entails monitoring orbiting satellites for signs of attack.
Trump, during a news conference Tuesday, rattled some allies when he refused to rule out the possibility of seizing Greenland, an autonomous territory of NATO member Denmark, by force.
“I’m not going to commit to that,” Trump said after being asked if he would reject the notion of using military or economic coercion to control Greenland.
“We need Greenland for national security purposes,” he added.
The traditional signpost on remote military bases, here at Thule, Greenland in 2014, shows the base is slightly closer to Moscow than Washington. President-elect Donald Trump has said that the United States must take possession of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, for national security reasons. (Stars and Stripes)
The Ballistic Missile Early Warning System in Greenland, seen here in 2014, is one of three such installations that keep an eye out for long-range missiles leaving Russia. President-elect Donald Trump has said that the United States must take possession of Greenland for national security reasons. (Stars and Stripes)
A U.S. Air Force pilot disembarks from his jet in June 2021, at Thule Air Base, Greenland. President-elect Donald Trump has said that the United States must take possession of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, for national security reasons. (Mira Roman/U.S. Air Force)
How Trump’s public pressuring will play out isn’t clear, but his emphasis on Greenland’s value to the United States suggests that military activities in the Arctic will be getting more attention during his second term.
The High North has taken on added importance in recent years given concerns about Russia’s growing military presence in the Arctic. China also has signaled an intent to play a larger role in the region, declaring itself in 2018 a “near-Arctic country” with vested interests.
Trump alluded to both countries Tuesday, saying that Russian and Chinese vessels navigating waters near Greenland pose a danger.
“You have Chinese ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. We’re not letting that happen,” Trump said.
Military and civilian ships alike typically have the right to freedom of navigation under international law. There are some restrictions on the actions they may take, particularly for warships, in territorial waters.
The Pentagon has sought to bring more attention to operations in the Arctic and updated its strategy for the region in 2024. But there haven’t been any major force posture adjustments there.
That could change given environmental factors. With melting sea ice, new commercial shipping lanes are opening up that will shorten travel routes between the Far East and northern Europe.
Arctic shipping increased by 37% between 2013 and 2023, according to the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum.
The circumstances bring potential access to valuable minerals and oil, which also could be of interest to Trump.
The ice-free part of Greenland also has the potential to be a major source for in-demand rare earth minerals that support a wide range of industries, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland said in 2023.
There are already indications of the Pentagon stepping up activities in Greenland.
In 2022, the U.S. Air Force awarded a nearly $4 billion contract to ensure ongoing operations at Pituffik. And in 2023, four Air Force F-35s deployed for the first time at the base to show off the ability to operate in harsh terrain.
In August, the Washington-based Atlantic Council think tank published an analysis that said the United States should “double down” on the development of Greenland as a cornerstone of its security strategy in the Arctic.
Given China’s overtures to Greenland to develop its mineral resources, “much more needs to be done to realize Greenland’s full potential in supporting the United States’ economic and security interests,” the Atlantic Council paper said.
Greenland was ruled directly by Denmark from the early 18th century until home rule began on the island in 1979. In 2009, Greenland approved a referendum granting it autonomy in all matters except defense, security and foreign policy.
Floating the idea of using coercion or force could be a negotiating tactic for Trump, who said Tuesday that he didn’t consider Denmark’s authority over Greenland legitimate.
But Trump has long had an eye on Greenland and his comments this week went further than past statements about wanting to acquire the territory.
The situation is likely to become a point of diplomatic tension inside NATO and a source of unease for Denmark, which has signaled that it has no intention of parting with Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen sought to solidify the island’s autonomy following Trump’s remarks, saying Tuesday that “Greenland belongs to Greenland” and wasn’t for sale.
