Trump’s ‘Massive’ Brag Immediately Gets Brutal Reality Check
The president was instantly fact-checked.
Elizabeth Frantz/REUTERS
President Donald Trump’s brag that “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin” in Greenland was met with an immediate reality check on Wednesday.
“We are very far away from ‘massive’ exploration,” Greenland’s deputy mining minister Jørgen Hammeken-Holm told CNN, responding to the president’s Truth Social post.
Hammeken-Holm said “there are activities by U.S. companies,” and “many smaller explorations underway,” but noted that “these could take years to become operational.”

Trump claimed Wednesday that “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin” in Greenland.
Truth Social/Donald Trump
Trump, 80, has repeatedly argued throughout his second term in office that acquiring mineral-rich Greenland is necessary for national security, citing its strategic Arctic location.
ADVERTISEMENT
The semiautonomous island of Greenland is part of Denmark, a NATO member, and hosts a U.S. Space Force base. Most of its rare earth mineral deposits lie deep within the Arctic Circle, where the harsh climate makes access difficult.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
China has also shown renewed interest in Greenland in recent years, attempting and largely failing to establish a presence in the region through scientific research expeditions, investments in infrastructure, and natural resource acquisitions.
“There are Experts that are saying that the amount of easily available Oil is far greater than that of almost any land, anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social about the island, which ranks eighth globally for rare earth reserves.
Trump shakes hands with Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, as they attend a trilateral signing event.
Kylie Cooper/REUTERS
The U.S., Denmark and Greenland signed a defense deal last month allowing Washington to build two more military bases on the island, while maintaining its status as a semiautonomous Danish territory.
Trump shakes hands with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Kylie Cooper/REUTERS
The trilateral agreement came after members of the NATO military alliance warned against using U.S. military force to seize the Arctic territory. It amends a U.S.-Denmark defense pact dating back to 1951 that allowed Washington to build and operate military bases on the island.
The president said last month that the agreement gives the U.S. “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland.”
“Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived. It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World!” Trump added in his post on Wednesday.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.


ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…
ADVERTISEMENT