Trump Says 'Massive' Oil, Gas and Mineral Exploration in Greenland Is 'Getting Ready to Begin'

President Trump announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, that what he described as "massive" oil, gas and mineral exploration is preparing to begin in Greenland, framing the semi-autonomous island as both a strategic military asset and a potential source of vast energy and mineral wealth. In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Mr. Trump said the exploration effort is "getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland," though he provided no further details on timeline, partners or specific projects. The announcement comes more than four weeks after the United States signed a new security agreement with Greenland and Denmark that bolsters the American military and security presence on the island and includes provisions on resource extraction and minerals cooperation. The agreement, signed on September 22, 2026, in New York City, grants the U.S. broad access to Greenland's airspace and territory, allows for the expansion of the Pituffik Space Base, and permits the establishment of additional bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. The deal carries no expiration date and blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases on the island without agreement from the parties. President Trump made the announcement in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. He wrote: "Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland." The president did not elaborate on the scope, timeline or participants involved in the exploration effort. Mr. Trump also claimed that "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." The article did not identify the experts referenced or provide specific data to support this claim. The president's characterization of Greenland as "our new and beautiful Greenland" drew attention given the island's status as a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, with which the U.S. signed a formal security agreement just weeks earlier. In the same Truth Social statement, Mr. Trump emphasized Greenland's role in the defense of the United States, asserting that "any future attack" on the U.S. would have to come across the semi-autonomous island. He said Greenland is a place "where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet conceived." The president added: "It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!" This framing reflects Mr. Trump's longstanding interest in Greenland's strategic location, which he has cited since his first term as a reason for greater U.S. control over the island. He has previously suggested purchasing Greenland from Denmark or using military force to secure it. The announcement follows the signing of a new security agreement on September 22, 2026, in New York City, between the United States, Greenland and Denmark, which oversees the territory. The agreement gives the U.S. broad access to Greenland's airspace and territory and largely focuses on using the island for military purposes. It also mentions resource extraction and "minerals cooperation" between the countries, though it does not specify any details. The deal allows the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. military installation, which serves as an early-warning system for incoming missiles. The agreement also says the U.S. can establish additional bases at the sites known as Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, which are roughly 950 miles apart. Any of the three parties can propose more "defense areas" as needed, subject to approval by the others. The deal has no expiration date and blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases on the island without agreement from the parties. Greenland is believed to hold significant deposits of critical minerals, as illustrated by a map from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland showing main deposits of selected critical minerals across the island. Some industry experts believe mineral resources in Greenland have only been lightly explored and that, up until now, the cost of extraction has not made economic sense for private companies. The combination of vast untapped resources and the new security agreement's provisions on resource extraction and minerals cooperation has raised questions about the future of commercial activity on the island, though no specific exploration projects or timelines have been publicly detailed. President Trump's interest in Greenland dates back to his first term, when he cited the island's strategic location as a reason for greater U.S. control and even suggested purchasing it from Denmark or using military force. The September 2026 security agreement represents a significant development in that long-stated objective, formalizing an expanded American military footprint on the island while also opening the door to resource extraction cooperation. The agreement's provisions blocking non-NATO countries from establishing bases without consent further underscore the strategic competition over access to Greenland and the broader Arctic region.