Greenland on Wednesday disputed US President Donald Trump's claim of an impending comprehensive exploration of oil, gas, and minerals on the island. The deputy minister of mining, Jørgen Hammeken-Holm, confirmed to the television network CNN that there are activities by US companies, but stressed that the situation is far from what Trump describes.
'We are a long way from mass exploration,' said Hammeken-Holm. He added that 'many small exploration projects are underway, but it could be years before they become operational.'
Trump had posted on his platform Truth Social that 'the start of mass exploration of oil, gas, and minerals' is underway in Greenland. He described the island as 'our new and beautiful Greenland' and stated that experts believe the amount of accessible oil in Greenland is far greater than in almost any other part of the world. 'Experts say the amount of accessible oil is far greater than in almost any other land on earth,' Trump wrote.
However, resource extraction in Greenland has long been considered difficult. Numerous deposits are located in remote areas above the Arctic Circle, where the ice cover can be up to 1.5km (0.93 miles) thick, and infrastructure is virtually non-existent. Some 80 per cent of the island is covered in ice.
Trump's Republicans are under pressure ahead of the 3 November midterms due to rising fuel prices following his war with Iran. In September, the US, Denmark, and Greenland signed an agreement on enhanced security cooperation, ending a dispute over the island that Trump had sparked with threats of annexation. The agreement modernises and supplements the defence agreement between Denmark and the US, which has been in place since 1951.
According to the text published by the White House, oil and gas are not explicitly mentioned in the agreement, but cooperation on minerals and economic development in general is noted. The document also includes minor amendments to the 1951 agreement, allowing the US to station troops in Greenland as part of NATO defence. The agreement also opens the possibility for additional US bases and guarantees US military access in the event that Greenland becomes independent of Denmark.
Roughly a month earlier, the US, Denmark, and Greenland reached an agreement aimed at easing tensions. The agreement primarily recognises Denmark's sovereignty and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination. Trump had previously claimed that the agreement gives the US 'permanent control' over the security of Greenland.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has expressed his intention to take control of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, and its resources, which has caused tensions with European partners and NATO allies. In his post on Wednesday, Trump outlined his strategic vision: 'Any future attack on the United States will have to go through Greenland. There, our defence will routinely shoot down drones, missiles, and all other forms of weaponry not yet invented.'
