Mathias Busekist
The change under consideration would move Greenland out of US European Command’s area of responsibility.
Trump Administration Weighs Shifting Greenland Oversight to U.S. Northern Command Amid Renewed Controversy
The Trump administration is considering a significant military shift that would place Greenland under the jurisdiction of U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), rather than U.S. European Command (EUCOM), underscoring renewed interest in the strategically located Arctic territory, three sources familiar with the deliberations told CNN.
The proposal would reclassify Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark situated geographically in North America but politically tied to Europe, as part of the U.S. homeland defense zone. Though some Pentagon discussions on the matter predate Trump’s return to office, his administration’s revived focus on acquiring Greenland has intensified scrutiny around the move.
NORTHCOM declined to comment, and CNN has reached out to the Pentagon as well as Danish and Greenlandic officials.
While advocates for the shift argue that Greenland is often overlooked by EUCOM due to its distance from central Europe, others in the administration are uneasy. Concerns stem from Trump’s repeated statements about wanting to acquire the island — including a recent interview in which he refused to rule out military action.
“I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything,” Trump told NBC. “We need Greenland very badly… We’ll take care of the people, and we’ll cherish them.”
Trump’s rhetoric has strained U.S. relations with Denmark and Greenland. Shifting Greenland to NORTHCOM could be perceived as symbolically detaching it from Denmark, which would remain under EUCOM oversight — a move Danish officials see as politically provocative.
Tensions have escalated further following a Wall Street Journal report alleging that Washington directed intelligence agencies to increase surveillance on Greenland, focusing on its independence movement and potential for U.S. resource extraction. In response, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he would summon the U.S. acting ambassador to Copenhagen for clarification.
“We do not spy on friends,” Rasmussen said Wednesday during an EU meeting in Warsaw. “This report is disturbing, and we expect answers.”
