President Donald Trump reignited the national security debate surrounding Greenland, stating that U.S. control of the Arctic territory is increasingly necessary due to expanding Russian and Chinese activity in the region. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump described Greenland as “so strategic” and warned that it is now surrounded by foreign naval forces hostile to American interests.

“We need Greenland from a national security situation,” Trump said. “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.” His remarks revive a proposal first raised during his earlier presidency, now framed within a rapidly evolving Arctic security environment.

Trump pointed to the growing imbalance in Arctic capabilities, highlighting Russia’s fleet of more than 40 icebreakers and China’s aggressive investments in polar infrastructure and research vessels. By contrast, the United States currently operates only two functional icebreakers, a gap that Trump has repeatedly criticized as a serious strategic vulnerability.

Video footage from Air Force One shows Trump dismissing Denmark’s recent security enhancements in Greenland as insufficient. He mocked the addition of a single patrol vessel, arguing that symbolic measures do little to counter the scale and sophistication of Russian and Chinese operations near Greenland’s waters. According to Trump, the reality on the ground — and at sea — demands a far more serious response.

The president framed Greenland not as a real estate acquisition, but as a linchpin in U.S. national defense. The Arctic is rapidly emerging as a frontline in global competition, with new shipping routes, untapped natural resources, and military positioning all at stake. Trump warned that allowing adversaries to dominate the region would have long-term consequences for American security and NATO’s northern flank.

Supporters of Trump’s position argue that Greenland’s geographic location makes it indispensable for missile defense, early-warning systems, and naval operations between North America and Europe. They also note that NATO assessments have increasingly identified the Arctic as a zone of heightened risk due to adversarial expansion.

Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland reflects a broader America First doctrine that prioritizes strategic geography and hard power realities over diplomatic sensitivities. In his view, ignoring the Arctic shift would amount to surrendering a critical theater to rivals without a fight.

As global competition intensifies at the top of the world, Trump’s comments signal that Greenland — once seen as remote and peripheral — is now firmly at the center of U.S. national security calculations.