Georgia: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) made the sensational claim that the United States has secured control over both Greenland and Venezuela, touting the purported acquisition as the "greatest real estate deal in history," at a campaign rally for Republican candidates in Perry, Georgia.
Addressing a cheering crowd, Trump falsely asserted that Denmark had transferred sovereignty over Greenland to Washington, while simultaneously boasting of US dominance over Venezuela and its vast oil reserves.
"Denmark was so great, they gave us Greenland. You do know that, right? We already have that. We're doing good with that, aren't we?" Trump told supporters.
"All of them talked, 'Donald Trump, Donald Trump, he's going to attack! He's going to attack Greenland!' But Denmark gave us—we signed an agreement. You know what? The press hardly covered it. It's going to go down as the greatest real estate deal in history, probably after Venezuela. I think Venezuela. What do you take: Venezuela or Greenland? Both? We got them both!"
Despite Trump's claims, neither territory has been transferred to US sovereignty. Trump's remarks come on the heels of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on October 22 between the United States and Denmark to strengthen maritime industrial cooperation and US shipbuilding capacities.
However, the legal framework of the agreement explicitly contradicts the President's claims. Under the section detailing legal status and scope, the MoU explicitly states: "This MoU does not apply to Greenland or the Faroe Islands."
Denmark has not transferred sovereignty over Greenland. While a defence agreement expanded US military rights in the region, it continues to strictly recognise Danish sovereignty and Greenlandic self-determination.
The text clarifies that the document represents political intentions, is not an international treaty, creates no legal rights or obligations, and "does not authorise any procurement, award of contracts or transfer of funds between the Participants." Each country is expected to bear its own costs.
In an official statement on X, Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, emphasising the commercial focus of the agreement:
"Today, Denmark signs an agreement with the US, which paves the way for Danish expertise and solutions in US maritime efforts. The agreement opens significant opportunities for Danish companies and can create new jobs on both sides of the Atlantic."
The US-Denmark framework is built around commercial and industrial collaboration in the maritime sector, structured across three key tracks. The first focuses on education and training, aimed at strengthening competencies within the US maritime workforce by leveraging Danish expertise.
The second track covers equipment, technology and services, with an emphasis on modernising U.S. shipbuilding, repair and retrofit capabilities through Danish technology, joint ventures and local partnerships. The third track involves defence industrial and dual-use cooperation, seeking to expand maritime capabilities across both commercial and military markets, with commercial contracts to be finalised separately.
Trump's rally claims follow a series of aggressive US strategic moves regarding the Arctic island. On October 13, Trump announced via Truth Social that large-scale oil, gas, and mineral exploration was set to begin in Greenland, following a tripartite agreement reached last month between Washington, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen to bolster Arctic security and defence cooperation.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump stressed Greenland's energy potential and crucial defensive positioning, "Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland! 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 and, even more importantly, from a Security Purpose in the Defense and Offense of both the United States of America, and Europe, is second to none."
"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. It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!"
Trump's declaration that the US "got" Venezuela follows dramatic political and military shifts in Caracas earlier this year.
In January, US military forces executed a pre-dawn operation capturing former dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple was detained, transferred to a US naval vessel, and flown to New York to face criminal indictments. While the operation drew scrutiny from international legal scholars over potential sovereignty violations, Trump defended the raid, asserting that the US had liberated Venezuela from a "very powerful, very nasty dictatorship."
Addressing the UN General Assembly for the first time in September, Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez signalled a diplomatic reset. Rodríguez stated that Venezuela would take "historic responsibility" for guiding the nation toward democratic elections and full democracy on its own timeline.
Thanking Trump for restarting diplomatic engagement, Rodríguez stated, "Venezuela aspires—with the United States, with its neighbours, and with all the countries of our continent and the international community—to rebuild and sustain relations based on cooperation, respect, and equality."
Rodríguez added that Venezuela is seeking a national "rebirth" after facing severe internal political strangulation, heightened military confrontation with Washington, and devastating twin earthquakes on June 24.
While international norms recognise Venezuela as an independent, sovereign nation, Trump used the Georgia platform to frame the ongoing democratic transition and commercial access to Venezuelan oil fields as a complete strategic acquisition.