US needs Greenland for Golden Dome or Russia and China will take it - Trump

Trump stressed that Greenland is of vital importance to US national security and to the construction of a large-scale missile defense system. He called on NATO to facilitate the transfer of the island under US control in order to stay ahead of Russia and China.

“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. If we don't, Russia or China will, and that is not going to happen!” Trump said.

According to the US leader, NATO’s combat readiness and deterrence capability directly depend on America’s military power and Washington’s control over the strategic island.

Trump is also convinced that without the massive US military strength — which he says he personally elevated to a new level — NATO will not be able to serve as an effective deterrent.

“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the United States. Anything less than that is unacceptable,” he said.

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What is the Golden Dome

Donald Trump has unveiled his own large-scale defense initiative — the Golden Dome missile defense system. Its main goal is to fully protect the United States from ballistic, cruise, and especially hypersonic missiles.

The financial scale of the project is enormous. While the official estimated cost of the program is $175 billion, analysts at the Congressional Budget Office calculate that the creation and deployment of the space-based component alone could cost up to $524 billion.

Why the US wants Greenland

Greenland is geographically part of North America but politically an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump previously expressed his desire to “buy” Greenland from Denmark during his first presidential term.

Due to the island’s harsh climate, it has a very small population, but its geographic location made it strategically important during the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. At the time, American military bases operated there, including facilities with nuclear weapons. Today, only the Pituffik Space Base remains, which the US uses to monitor outer space.

Europe’s reaction

Denmark is attempting to preserve its sovereignty over Greenland by offering the US and NATO a compromise — expanding military presence and holding large-scale exercises in 2026 instead of making political concessions.

Germany has announced its participation in strengthening Greenland’s security, emphasizing that the region requires comprehensive protection and greater attention from allies.

European partners are also concerned about NATO’s lack of response to Trump’s territorial claims regarding Greenland and the silence of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Denmark’s sovereignty.

So far, the Alliance has not issued an official statement in support of Greenland’s territorial integrity, despite calls from France and other EU countries to increase NATO’s presence there.

The United States will allocate nearly $1 billion for a major modernization of its missile early warning space system. These investments are a critical part of the ambitious “Golden Dome” defense concept that Trump is actively promoting to ensure full protection of US airspace.

The United States and Canada are jointly building the Golden Dome. The new missile defense system is being developed for deployment across both countries. According to Trump, Washington and Ottawa are currently working closely together to create what he described as a unified defensive shield for the continent.