The United States has ordered its intelligence agencies to step up their intelligence gathering on Greenland, a move that comes as Donald Trumpʼs administration seeks to gain control over the island.
This is reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing informed sources.
Several senior officials reporting to the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard issued a “priority intelligence gathering notice” to intelligence agency leaders last week, instructing them to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and the islanders’ attitudes toward resource extraction by US companies.
The classified message ordered agencies — including the Central Intelligence Agency, the Military Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency — to use satellites, communications interception devices, and on-the-ground spies to find people in Greenland and Denmark who supported American interests on the island.
This order was one of the Trump administrationʼs first real steps in implementing its repeatedly voiced idea of gaining control over Greenland.
The Intelligence Priority Notice is a tool that identifies which topics and regions intelligence should focus on, and where more resources will be directed. The inclusion of Greenland in the priority list demonstrates the seriousness of the Trump administration’s intentions to gain control of the island.
National Security Council spokesman James Hewitt said the White House does not comment on intelligence matters, but added: “The president has made clear the United States’ concerns about the security of Greenland and the Arctic.” Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard criticized the WSJ report:
"The Wall Street Journal should be ashamed of itself for aiding the ʼdeep stateʼ that is trying to weaken the president through politicization and leaks of classified information. This is a violation of the law that undermines our national security and democracy."
According to former US intelligence officials, Greenland has not previously been a focus of intelligence. Intelligence resources have been directed primarily at real threats, rather than at allied countries. However, now US President Donald Trump has openly declared his desire to buy or annex the island, which is causing opposition both among the Greenlanders themselves and in Denmark.
In March 2025, US Vice President J.D. Vance, then-National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited Greenland, which caused outrage in Denmark.
"This is absolutely unacceptable pressure on Greenland, its politicians and population, as well as on Denmark. President Trump is serious — he wants Greenland," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the time.
Later on NBC, Trump was asked if he would rule out the possibility of taking Greenland by force. The US president evaded a direct answer: "Iʼm not ruling it out. Iʼm not saying Iʼm going to do it, but Iʼm not ruling anything out. We really need Greenland. There are not many people living there, and weʼll take care of them, weʼll love them, all that. But we need it for the security of the world".
What preceded
In December 2024, Donald Trump declared that “possession and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for US national security. He had said he was interested in purchasing the island during his first term as president. He has since repeatedly reiterated his desire to acquire the island.
Following Trumpʼs statement, Denmark decided to significantly increase defense spending on the island and also changed the royal coat of arms to make it more prominently represent Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Polls show that almost 85% of Greenlanders are against its secession from the Kingdom of Denmark and joining the United States.
In March 2025, parliamentary elections were held in Greenland, and the center-right Demokraatit party won — it supports the islandʼs independence.
At the end of March, Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen reacted to the latest statements by US President Donald Trump and said that Washington would not gain control of the island.
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