US President Donald Trump has reignited debate over Greenland, claiming the vast Arctic island is critical for his ambitious missile defence project, the Golden Dome. But experts say the idea of “owning” Greenland may have little to do with actually building the system.
Trump Ties Greenland to National Security for the Golden Dome
In a Truth Social post this week, Trump said the United States needs Greenland “for the purpose of National Security” and described the island as “vital for the Golden Dome we are building.” The statement came as Danish and Greenlandic officials visited Washington to ease tensions between the US and its NATO allies.
Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, saying he wants it “one way or the other.” This latest claim is the first time he directly links his territorial ambitions to a concrete military project like the Golden Dome.
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Trump unveiled the Golden Dome in May 2025 and designed it to block missiles heading for US soil, including intercontinental ballistic missiles. He modeled the system on Israel’s Iron Dome, plans to spend $175 billion on it, and aims to make it operational within three years.
However, analysts stress that the Golden Dome remains mostly theoretical. “They haven’t awarded a single government contract to develop it,” says Andrew Gawthorpe, a US foreign policy expert at Leiden University in Germany. “The whole thing is completely notional at this point.”
How the Golden Dome Works
The missile defence plan, known as the Golden Dome, relies on a constellation of satellites in space that form an early-warning network. Interceptors would then be launched from orbit to destroy incoming missiles, meaning most of the system’s activity takes place above the Earth. This has led experts to question why Greenland would even be necessary for the Golden Dome.
“Ground infrastructure is needed mainly for communications and some interceptor launches, but Greenland isn’t essential,” says Liviu Horovitz, a defence expert at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Berlin. He adds that the Pentagon has already identified better locations for interceptor bases, including Fort Drum in northern New York State, close to the Canadian border.
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Matthew Powell, an air defence specialist at the University of Portsmouth, acknowledges that Greenland could offer a slight strategic advantage because it is closer to Russia. This location might allow for a marginally faster response to missiles fired from Russian territory.
Still, Powell emphasizes that the US does not need to take ownership of Greenland to use the island for the Golden Dome missile shield. Existing agreements and facilities could allow the US to support the system without attempting to seize control of the territory.
US Already Has Military Rights in Greenland
The US has maintained a military presence in Greenland for decades, centered on Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base), which hosts missile warning sensors. A 1951 agreement with Denmark, updated in 2004, lets the US expand and upgrade the base with local approval.
Washington is investing millions to modernize Pituffik, supporting US missile defence and parts of the Golden Dome network without taking full control of Greenland. Denmark has largely cooperated, avoiding conflict over the island.
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Experts say Trump emphasizes national security to sway public opinion. A recent poll found only 17% of Americans support acquiring Greenland, with just 4% favoring force. “Portraying Greenland as vital to protecting American cities works better than citing minerals,” says Gawthorpe.
While central to Trump’s plans, the Golden Dome remains theoretical, and experts stress that owning Greenland isn’t needed for the missile shield—it’s more a political talking point than a practical requirement.