Donald Trump says the people of Greenland should to decide if they want to decouple from Denmark.

Although Trump has made clear that he has a desire to purchase the Danish territory, some recent statements suggest he does not intend to use military tactics to force the issue.

In his joint session address to Congress last week, however, the message was a bit more veiled when he said Greenland would be part of the U.S. ‘one way or the other.’

The president wrote on Truth Social that he wants the approximately 56,000 people who live in Greenland to determine what they want.

He did not mention in the social media statement how Denmark, which has authority over the arctic island, plays into that discussion. Both Greenland and the Faroe Islands are territories of the Kingdom of Denmark.

‘As I made clear during my Joint Address to Congress, the United States strongly supports the people of Greenland’s right to determine their own future,’ Trump wrote in his post. 

President Donald Trump said he wants the people of Greenland, who currently fall under the Kingdom of Denmark, to determine if they want to be part of the U.S. 

Trump posted an update on his desire to purchase the island to his Truth Social account on Sunday evening

‘We will continue to KEEP YOU SAFE, as we have since World War II,’ he assured. ‘We are ready to INVEST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to create new jobs and MAKE YOU RICH.’

But Trump doubled-down on his offer for the island to be brought into the fold of the U.S.

‘And, if you so choose, we welcome you to be a part of the Greatest Nation anywhere in the World, the United States of America!’

‘First buddy’ Elon Musk shared Trump’s statement to his 219.5 million followers on X.

During Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress Tuesday, he predicted that the U.S. would somehow acquire Greenland.

‘I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland,’ he said to some laughter from the chamber. ‘We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and, if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.’

‘We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it,’ he added.

‘But we need it, really, for international world security,’ Trump said, predicting: ‘And I think we’re going to get it.’

‘One way or the other, we’re going to get it.’

Trump’s eldest son Don Jr. visited Greenland’s capital city of Nuuk in January. 

Some speculated that his visit was a way to lay the groundwork for Trump to take the island territory – while others claim it was to gauge interest from the people.  

Donald Trump Jr. visited Nuuk, Greenland in January where he was greeted by the island’s residents who are supporters of his father

With a population of approximately 56,000 people, Denmark is the least densely populated country in the world – but its natural resources and strategic location are important for military and national security purposes for the region

Trump vowed that if Greenland became part of the U.S. it would become ‘rich’ and more ‘safe.’

‘Together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,’ he promised during the longest joint session address in recorded U.S. history.

‘It’s a very small population but very, very large piece of land and very, very important for military security.’

Greenland has a land mass of 836,330 square miles but only a population of 55,775 as of March 9, 2025. This makes Greenland the least densely populated country in the world when population is compared to land area.