Trump Says Massive Greenland Energy Exploration Is About to Begin

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that “massive oil, gas and mineral exploration is getting ready to begin” in Greenland, writing on Truth Social that experts say the island holds easily available oil greater than almost anywhere in the world.

The post, published just after midnight, offered no timeline or details of American involvement. “It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!” Trump wrote of the island’s strategic position.

The announcement follows a security agreement signed last month by the United States, Denmark and Greenland that expands the American military role on the island, including plans for two new bases. The deal reaffirms Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination, according to the White House text.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to take control of Greenland since returning to office, angering Denmark and NATO allies. The September agreement was meant to ease those tensions.

Researchers have long cautioned that extracting Greenland’s resources would be extremely difficult and expensive, with about 80 percent of the island covered by a mile-thick ice sheet, according to CNN. Greenland stopped issuing new oil and gas licenses in 2021 over climate concerns, and no major discovery has ever resulted from decades of exploration by companies including ExxonMobil and Shell.

U.S. Greenland Energy Company has said it would fund up to two exploration wells in the Jameson Land Basin, though it postponed a planned drilling campaign to winter 2027 after equipment was brought ashore without approval, according to OilPrice.com.

For Pennsylvania, Arctic energy development matters at the pump and in the home. Gas prices remain elevated, and any new long-term supply would take years to reach markets.

There was no immediate comment from the leaders of Greenland or Denmark on Trump’s post.