Washington: US President Donald Trump has renewed his push for American control of Greenland, a mineral-rich and strategically important Arctic island that is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. While Trump insists the move is essential for US security, experts say any attempt to take over Greenland would face serious political, legal and diplomatic obstacles.

Here is a look at the possible routes Washington could pursue — and why each comes with major challenges.

Military action: a NATO crisis

Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out the use of force, saying the US would act “whether they like it or not”. But analysts warn that a military takeover would trigger an unprecedented crisis within NATO.

Greenland has no military of its own and is defended by Denmark, whose armed forces are far smaller than those of the US. Even so, an attack on Danish territory would pit the US against a fellow NATO member.

“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned.

Experts say such a move would likely fracture the alliance and severely damage Washington’s global standing. “It would fundamentally alter US relationships with allies worldwide,” said Imran Bayoumi of the Atlantic Council.

Trump has justified his interest by citing Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic, but Danish experts say those claims are exaggerated. “It’s not true,” said Lin Mortensgaard of the Danish Institute for International Studies, noting the absence of Russian surface ships near Greenland.

Buying Greenland: legally and politically fraught

The Trump administration has also explored the idea of purchasing Greenland. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that buying the island, rather than seizing it, is the preferred long-term option.

However, both Denmark and Greenland have made it clear that the island is not for sale. It is also unclear who would have the authority to approve such a deal, or how much it would cost.

Even if a sale were possible, experts say the price would go beyond land and resources. Greenlanders are Danish citizens with access to Denmark’s welfare system, including free healthcare and education.

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“To match that, Trump would have to build a welfare state for Greenlanders that he doesn’t want for his own citizens,” said Ulrik Pram Gad, a Greenland specialist at DIIS.

Expanding control through agreements

Another option would be to increase US control without formal ownership. Analysts say Washington could seek stronger security arrangements, such as gaining veto power over Greenland’s defence decisions.

The US has similar agreements with Pacific island nations, including Palau and Micronesia, under Compacts of Free Association. These allow the US to operate military bases and control security policy in exchange for financial aid and defence guarantees.

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But the benefits of such a move are unclear. The US already operates the Pituffik Space Base in north-west Greenland and has wide-ranging military access under a 1951 defence agreement with Denmark.

“For that reason, blowing up NATO for something Trump already has doesn’t make sense,” Gad said.

Influence campaigns: unlikely to work

Some analysts have raised the possibility of influence operations aimed at persuading Greenlanders to support closer ties with the US. Greenlandic politicians have strongly rejected this idea.

Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz has said islanders want greater autonomy — and possibly independence — but not US rule.

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Gad said any attempt to sway public opinion would likely fail because Greenland’s small population and language make outside influence difficult. Denmark has already complained about “foreign actors” seeking to shape Greenland’s future.

A dispute with no easy resolution

The US military presence in Greenland has declined sharply since the Second World War and currently consists of around 200 personnel at the Pituffik Space Base, which supports missile warning and space surveillance for the US and NATO.

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While Denmark may seek to update its defence agreement with Washington, experts say Trump’s repeated public statements have made compromise harder.

“When Trump wants to change the news agenda, he can just say the word ‘Greenland’ and this starts all over again,” Gad said.