Trump's claim about Greenland

Early on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that large-scale exploration for oil, gas and minerals was about to begin in Greenland. He argued that the island holds a quantity of easily accessible oil far greater than almost any other land, and that its position gives unmatched security value to the United States and Europe. He wrote that any future attack on the United States would have to pass through Greenland, where American defenses could regularly shoot down drones, missiles and weapons not yet conceived. It was not immediately clear which projects or developments the post referred to. The message came a day after Trump campaigned in Wasilla, Alaska, for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is seeking a third term against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former congresswoman.

The exploration of enormous oil, gas, and mineral deposits is about to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!

Greenland's government pushes back

Greenland's government disputed the claim. Jørgen Hammeken-Holm, a senior official in Greenland's economy ministry, told CNN that US companies are active on the island but that extensive exploration is still far off. He said many smaller exploration projects are under way, and that it could take years before they become operational. Resource extraction in Greenland has long been held back by a harsh climate, a lack of key infrastructure and difficult geology. Earlier attempts to extract rare earth minerals, oil and gas never got beyond the exploratory stage.

What the September agreement covers

The security agreement was signed on 22 September, according to Le Monde, and brought together the United States, Denmark and Greenland. It does not grant the US special exploration rights, although it places limits on investments by non-NATO countries in strategic sectors. It also paves the way for more US bases in Greenland and would still apply if the island eventually chooses independence. According to the text published by the White House, oil and gas are not explicitly mentioned, though cooperation on minerals and economic development is. The agreement formally keeps Danish sovereignty over Greenland and recognises the population's right to self-determination, while providing for a stronger US military presence. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the deal as a new turning point in the relationship between the parties. Trump has said the agreement would let Washington permanently take control of the island's security and other strategic needs. Handelsblatt reports that the deal ended, at least for now, a dispute Trump himself had started with annexation threats.

Political backdrop

Le Monde reports that the agreement is still under review in Greenland's parliament in Nuuk, while the US president keeps the island's exploitation among his priorities. Trump has wanted to acquire Greenland since 2019 and, during his second term, threatened to seize the territory from Denmark, a NATO ally. The statement comes as rising energy prices, which have been linked to Trump's war in Iran, weigh on American households before the midterm elections in November. Campaigning in Alaska, Trump backed Sullivan in a race that Peltola is contesting as a Democrat. Representatives of the leaders of Denmark and Greenland did not immediately return requests for comment on Wednesday.