Trump says ‘massive’ oil and gas exploration to begin in Greenland

US President Donald Trump stated that oil, gas and mineral exploration is about to begin in “our new and beautiful Greenland”, although it is not clear what developments he is referring to. an island where resource extraction has held businesses back for decades.

Despite Trump’s optimism, harsh climate of Greenland – an autonomous territory of Denmark, rather than part of the United States – as well as the lack of infrastructure have thwarted all previous attempts to extract so-called rare earth minerals, as well as oil and gas. No effort has ever gone beyond the exploratory stage and a moratorium on new gas and oil permits has been in effect for several years.

“Massive oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in our beautiful new Greenland! » Trump posted on his Truth Social platform following a campaign event Tuesday in Wasilla, Alaska.

Trump was seeking Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking a third term to represent the state in an election against former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola.

Rising energy prices – a direct consequence of Iranian Warwhich began on February 28 after the launch of joint strikes by the United States and Israel, are creating serious and lasting financial difficulties for the American working class ahead of next month’s midterm elections. Trump’s comments are likely aimed at addressing voters’ concerns ahead of Election Day, November 3.

Recent deal paved the way for more US bases, but no exploration rights

Last month, Trump signed an agreement with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, after months of tensions with NATO allies over the US president’s repeated demands to take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. It does not grant the United States any special exploration rights, but imposes certain limits on investments by non-NATO countries in strategic sectors.

The agreement It also paved the way for more U.S. bases in Greenland and eased tensions over Trump’s repeated calls for Greenland to become part of the United States. The agreement would still apply if Greenland ultimately chose independence.

Trump expressed his desire to acquire Greenland since 2019 and, during his second term, threatened to seize the territory of Denmark, a NATO ally.

Naaja H. Nathanielsen, who represents Greenland in the Danish parliament, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she was not very surprised – or worried – by Trump’s message.

“This is exactly how the president chooses to engage,” she said. “I think we all expect something like this.”

Nathanielsen said all ongoing projects regarding resource extraction were still far from potential success. She said she believed Americans worried about gas prices were the intended audience for the message, rather than Greenlanders, ahead of the upcoming election.

“I recognize the concern in the United States, but I think it’s not a silver bullet,” she told the AP. “There will be no barrels of Greenlandic oil on earth in the near future.”

Nathanielsen also said she was not upset that Trump referred to the island as “our Greenland.”

“Of course I think it’s somewhat disrespectful,” she said. “But you can also see it as a term of endearment if you want to be very generous. At the moment, I don’t think about it much.”

Representatives of the Danish Foreign Ministry, as well as Greenland’s prime minister and the island’s mining ministry, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Greenland has valuable resources

Greenland has large deposits of rare earths needed to make everything from computers and smartphones to batteries, solar and wind technologies that will enable the transition away from fossil fuels. China currently dominated the world’s supply of these essential minerals and the Trump administration is seeking to break Beijing’s hold on these minerals.

The US Geological Survey has also identified significant potential offshore oil and natural gas deposits.

But exploiting these resources could prove extremely difficult: rare earth minerals are locked in rock and offshore oil and natural gas deposits are covered by Arctic ice. And in 2021, Greenlandic lawmakers said the island would not issue any new oil and gas permits due to the environmental impacts of oil extraction and a desire to avoid a further worsening of the global climate crisis.

Trump brags about Greenland’s strategic position in the Arctic

Trump’s Truth Social message also touted Greenland’s strategic location, saying that “from a security standpoint in the defense and offense of the United States of America and Europe,” the island is “second to none.”

“Any future attack on the United States will have to pass through Greenland, where our Defense will routinely shoot down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon that is not even designed yet,” he wrote. “It gives us time, location and visibility like nowhere else in the world! »

The United States played an important role in Greenland for decades, but since 1945 the American military presence in Greenland has grown from thousands of troops across 17 bases and installations to around 200 troops at the isolated Pituffik space base in the northwest. The base supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the United States and NATO.

Trump said last month that the United States would “immediately begin the process of developing a broad military presence in appropriate locations,” including “the construction of two very significant military bases.”