WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States needs to “own” Greenland to prevent Russia and China from gaining influence in the Arctic territory, raising renewed tensions with Denmark and Greenland over sovereignty and security.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said ownership was necessary for defense purposes, dismissing long-term lease arrangements as insufficient.

“Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership, you don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland,” Trump said, adding that the United States would pursue the objective “the easy way” or “the hard way.”

The comments come as the White House has acknowledged it is considering the option of purchasing Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark and a fellow NATO member, while not ruling out annexation by force. Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale, warning that any military action would undermine the transatlantic alliance.

In a joint statement issued Friday night, Greenland’s political leaders, including opposition parties, rejected Trump’s remarks and called for respect for the territory’s self-determination.

“We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” the statement said. “The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”

Despite being sparsely populated, Greenland occupies a strategically significant position between North America and the Arctic, making it important for missile early-warning systems and maritime monitoring.

The United States has long maintained a military presence at the Pituffik base in northwestern Greenland, with more than 100 personnel stationed there under existing defense agreements with Denmark.

Trump claimed Greenland was vital to U.S. national security, asserting without evidence that Russian and Chinese vessels were operating extensively around the island. He said lease arrangements, even those spanning decades, were inadequate for long-term security.

“Countries can’t make nine-year deals or even 100-year deals,” he said. “They have to have ownership.”

Trump added that while he held no hostility toward Russia or China, he would not accept either country as a strategic presence near Greenland.

“I don’t want them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to happen,” he said, adding that NATO allies needed to recognize the issue.

Denmark’s NATO partners, including major European countries and Canada, have expressed support for Copenhagen, emphasizing that decisions about Greenland’s status rest solely with Denmark and Greenland.

They stressed that Arctic security should be pursued collectively by allies and in accordance with international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The issue has gained renewed attention following Trump’s recent use of military force in Venezuela, which raised concerns among European allies about unilateral U.S. actions. Trump previously proposed buying Greenland during his first term in 2019, an offer that was firmly rejected.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold talks with Danish officials next week.

Greenland has also drawn growing international interest due to its vast natural resources, including rare earth minerals, uranium, iron, and potential oil and gas reserves, which are becoming more accessible as climate change accelerates ice melt. — Agencies