Trump Claims Oil and Gas Drilling Will Soon Start in Greenland

President Donald Trump says Greenland is on the cusp of a major new push for natural resources, declaring that “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration is about to get underway on the Arctic island.

In remarks posted to Truth Social, Mr Trump offered no specific timeline or project details, but pointed to what he described as extraordinary potential beneath Greenland’s surface. “There are experts that are saying that the amount of easily available oil is far greater ‌than that ⁠of almost any land, anywhere in the world,” he wrote.

The comments come weeks after the United States, Denmark and Greenland signed an agreement intended to cool tensions that had flared following Mr Trump’s repeated threats to take control of the strategically located and mineral-rich territory.

Mr Trump also framed Greenland as central to US security, writing that “any future attack on the ⁠United States will have to come across ‌Greenland, where our defence will routinely knock down drones, ⁠missiles, ‌or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived.”

The ⁠deal signed between the US, Denmark and Greenland expands ⁠the US military’s role in Greenland, paving the way for two new military bases and Mr Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defence system, while reaffirming Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.

Read More: What is in the US-Greenland-Denmark security deal?