US President Donald Trump said Wednesday, October 14, that major oil, gas and mineral exploration is being prepared in Greenland, weeks after Washington signed an agreement expanding its military presence on the Arctic island.
In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed Greenland possesses exceptionally large reserves of easily accessible oil, citing unnamed experts without providing supporting evidence or details about the proposed operations.
Trump did not identify companies involved in the exploration, specify potential drilling locations or provide a timeline for operations.
He also did not clarify whether the United States government would participate directly.
Greenland is believed to contain substantial untapped oil and gas resources, although their commercial viability remains uncertain because of high extraction costs, difficult Arctic conditions and environmental restrictions.
The island has no established commercial oil production but possesses significant mineral deposits, including rare earth elements used in electronics, renewable energy technologies and military equipment.
In August, reports that an American oil company was preparing activities in remote eastern Greenland raised concerns among residents and local authorities.
Trump did not indicate whether Wednesday's announcement was connected to those reported plans.
The announcement follows a September security agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland intended to ease tensions following Trump's repeated threats to take control of the territory, including potentially through force.
The agreement authorizes two additional American military bases at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east, alongside cooperation on Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system.
Washington already operates the Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland.
The agreement also reaffirms Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders' right to self-determination.
Trump described Greenland's strategic position as providing exceptional security advantages for the United States and Europe, arguing that American defenses could intercept incoming missiles, drones and other weapons.
Greenland lies along a strategically important route between Russia and North America, making its location relevant to missile detection and defense.
Neither Danish nor Greenlandic leaders immediately commented on Trump's latest announcement.