By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, lawmakers in Washington took a closer look at Greenland’s geostrategic importance to the United States.
Since day one, President Donald Trump has shown interest in acquiring the world’s biggest island. Exploring the idea is gaining traction among Republicans on Capitol Hill as Trump continues to push the concept, despite pushback.
“Greenland is a wonderful place. We need it for international security,” said President Trump in January. “Greenland is necessary, not for us, it’s necessary for international security.”
Taking over Greenland by force is not a popular concept among lawmakers, to say the least. However, some support avenues that explore purchasing it.
“What the form of that will be, I’m not sure. I think we’re now in a conversation that we weren’t in two weeks ago about how to use Greenland as a strategic asset in a way that the people of Greenland are supportive of,” said Sen. Dave McCormick (R- PA). “But again, this is a guy who’s thinking outside the box, and I think that’s what we need.”
Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark and is ripe with natural resources, like rare earth elements.
“The rare earth minerals, the strategic importance of the Arctic, all of these things have made Greenland much more strategic,” said McCormick.
With an area of roughly 836,000 square miles, Greenland makes up a massive part of the Arctic region, a region where Republicans warn, influence from U.S. adversaries is growing.
“You have Russian boats all over the place. You have China boats all over the place, warships,” said Trump.
“Given shifting global dynamics, the geopolitical importance of Greenland makes this conversation one we could no longer ignore,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R- TX), Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
Cruz’s committee held a hearing this week to explore the strategic significance of Greenland to the American economy and national security.
“Its location and proximity to critical transatlantic trade routes places it at the center of several global debates,” said Cruz.
“Let’s be very clear. It’s not for sale,” said Sen. Gary Peters (D- MI), who sits on the committee.
Democrats on the committee, including Sen. Peters, call the idea “reckless.” Peters says the notion that the U.S. needs to own Greenland for national security, is wrong.
“In fact, threatening our NATO allies in this fashion undermines our shared mission to work together as allies to counter both Russia and Chinese footholds,” said Peters.
This week, Congressman Buddy Carter (R- GA) introduced the Red, White, and Blueland Act of 2025. The legislation would enable President Trump’s efforts to purchase Greenland and rename it “Red, White and Blueland.”
Across the pond, a satirical online petition calling for Denmark to purchase California has collected more than 200,000 online signatures.
