Su Xiaohui, an expert at the China Institute of International Studies, said renewed U.S. pressure on Greenland reflects long-standing strategic aims.

From Donald Trump's earlier talk of "buying" the island to recent signals of coercion after returning to the White House in 2025 – particularly following U.S. actions against Venezuela – Washington is seeking to secure Greenland's rich mineral resources, including rare earths, and its pivotal Arctic location along key Eurasia–North America routes, which could also bolster missile early-warning capabilities.