Johnson Rejects Possibility of Sending US Troops to Greenland

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday dismissed the idea of the United States sending troops to Greenland or any other military action targeting the Danish-controlled island territory.

In remarks during a news conference, the House speaker said, “We are not at war with Greenland,” responding to a question about whether any U.S. military activities there would need Congress’s authorization.

“So, all this stuff about military action and all that, I don’t even think that’s a possibility,” he said, adding there is “no reason” for the United States to be at war.

However, he noted there are significant geopolitical implications with Greenland and that several presidents, starting with President Harry Truman, have noted its importance.

Greenland, which is the world’s largest island and has among the lowest population densities in the world, is in the North Atlantic between the North American and European continents. It has long been controlled by Denmark but remains an autonomous territory.

Johnson, who also noted that Greenland has significant rare-earth mineral reserves, said that the Trump administration is “talking about diplomatic channels” regarding Greenland.

“That is in America’s interest” and is not against the interests of Greenland, he added.

After President Donald Trump took office last year, he mentioned that he wanted the United States to control the island. Following a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3 that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, he and White House officials have said that they are eyeing Greenland.

Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a U.S. national security priority to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” the White House said in a statement on Jan. 6.

“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House added.

Officials in Greenland have said they do not want to be part of the United States. Leaders from major European powers rallied behind the Arctic territory on Tuesday, saying it belongs to its people and warning that any U.S. action could threaten the NATO alliance.

“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up,” the statement said. “We and many other Allies have increased our presence, activities and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries. The Kingdom of Denmark—including Greenland—is part of NATO.”

Some members of Congress have pushed back against the administration’s comments on Greenland, noting that NATO member Denmark has been a loyal U.S. ally.

“When Denmark and Greenland make it clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), the co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, said in a statement.

They added that with the war in Ukraine amid “rising threats from Russia and China in the Arctic and Indo-Pacific, we cannot afford distractions or divisions within NATO.”

But White House senior adviser Stephen Miller told CNN on Monday that “nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” adding that the United States has a right to acquire the island territory.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that, “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”

Reuters contributed to this report.