President Trump is bragging that “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland!” There’s just one problem: Greenland officials say that’s nonsense.
The island’s deputy mining minister Jørgen Hammeken-Holm told CNN Wednesday that while “there are activities by U.S. companies,” the large-scale activities Trump is talking about are “very far away.”
“There are many smaller explorations underway but these could take years to become operational,” Hammeken-Holm said.
“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday morning. “Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived.”
Trump has been threatening to take over and annex Greenland since his first term, and renewed those threats after returning to office. Last month, tensions were seemingly defused when Denmark, Greenland, and the U.S. reached a deal to cooperate on economic development and promote business activities, including taking advantage of the island’s natural resources.
Trump claimed at the time that the deal gave the U.S. “permanent control” over Greenland’s security, when in reality, it only made small changes to the 1951 treaty allowing the U.S. to station troops on the island. Judging by his Wednesday post, Trump seems to be under the impression that he has successfully annexed Greenland in all but name.