Trump repeats call for Greenland annexation, declines to rule out force

By Elías Thorsson January 4, 2026
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth look on during a press conference following a U.S. strike on Venezuela where President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured, from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., January 3, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo

President Donald Trump again asserted that the United States “needs” Greenland, saying the Arctic island is essential for U.S. defense, during a telephone interview published today by The Atlantic.

In the interview, Trump described Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and a NATO ally, as strategically vulnerable, claiming without providing evidence that it was “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.” He said the United States “absolutely” needs Greenland, language that echoes and reinforces his earlier calls for U.S. control of the island.

Asked whether the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, signaled a willingness to use force elsewhere, including in Greenland, Trump declined to draw a direct link but did not rule it out. “They are going to have to view it themselves,” he said, adding, “we do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense.”

The remarks come a day after Katie Miller, wife of top Trump aide Stephen Miller, posted an image on X suggesting the U.S. will “soon” annex Greenland.