Trump announces Greenland oil, gas, and mineral exploration plans, citing national security and energy prices
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday that "massive" oil, gas, and mineral exploration is "getting ready to begin" in Greenland, touting the island's strategic value and what he described as vast, easily accessible oil reserves. The announcement came weeks after the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland signed a security agreement in September 2026 that expanded American military access to the Arctic island but did not grant the U.S. sovereignty or special exploration rights. Trump did not provide additional details about when or how exploration would begin.
Trump's Truth Social post on the morning of October 14, 2026, declared that Greenland — which he referred to as "our new and beautiful Greenland" — was on the verge of major resource development. He quoted unspecified experts as saying the amount of "easily available" oil there surpasses almost any land in the world, and emphasized the island's strategic position, writing that any future attack on the United States would "have to come across Greenland."
The Associated Press reported that it was not clear what specific developments Trump was referring to. The outlet noted that Greenland's harsh climate and lack of infrastructure have stymied every previous attempt at resource extraction, and that no effort has ever progressed beyond the exploratory stage. The U.S. Geological Survey has identified major potential offshore oil and gas deposits, but they are covered by Arctic ice. Rare earth minerals are encased in rock. The AP also noted that Greenland's government stopped issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses in 2021, citing environmental and climate concerns — a detail also reported by Fox News, which added that some previously issued licenses remain valid but that drilling requires additional government approvals.
The September 2026 security agreement, signed at the United Nations General Assembly by Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, was the backdrop for Wednesday's announcement. Fox News reported that the deal expands Washington's ability to establish additional military facilities beyond what was already permitted under a 1951 defense agreement, and restricts military installations by non-NATO countries. Neither that agreement nor any subsequent deal grants the U.S. exploration rights over Greenland's resources, which Greenland — a self-governing territory of Denmark — controls over its own domestic affairs.