Greenland as the 51st state? 'Annexation and statehood' bill lands in the US House amid Trump threats

The proposed law would authorise the US president to negotiate Greenland’s acquisition from Denmark and begin the process of admitting it as a US state.

• US lawmaker proposes bill to annex Greenland and make it a US state
• Bill aims to prevent Russian or Chinese influence in the Arctic region
• Denmark and Greenland reject annexation, stressing self-determination

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A US lawmaker has introduced legislation to annex Greenland and pave the way for its admission as a US state, escalating President Donald Trump’s long-running push to bring the strategically located Arctic island under American control.

US Congressman Randy Fine said he had tabled the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act in the House of Representatives, a bill that would authorise the US president to pursue 'all necessary means' to acquire Greenland and integrate it into the United States.

The move comes days after Donald Trump renewed warnings that Washington may have to do “something” about Greenland to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence in the Arctic.

What the bill proposes

According to Fine, the legislation empowers the president to open negotiations with Denmark to annex or otherwise acquire Greenland as a US territory. Following any acquisition, the president would be required to submit a report to Congress detailing changes to federal law needed to admit Greenland as a US state.

Statehood would be contingent on Greenland adopting a constitution that is republican in form and consistent with the US Constitution.

In a post on X announcing the bill, Fine said the Arctic was fast becoming a frontline of global power competition. “Our adversaries are trying to establish a foothold in the Arctic, and we can’t let that happen,” he wrote, arguing that US control of Greenland would secure America’s northern flank against Russia and China.

National security case

In a press release, Fine described Greenland as a 'vital national security asset', warning that control of the island would shape access to Arctic shipping lanes and the broader security architecture of the United States.

He said years of weak policy had eroded America’s Arctic position even as Russia and China expanded their footprint in the region, framing the annexation push as part of a broader Republican effort to reassert US global power.

The bill also draws on recent remarks by Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who have said the Arctic is emerging as a critical theatre of geopolitical competition.

Trump’s renewed warning

Over the weekend, Trump again suggested the US could act unilaterally if necessary. “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not,” he said, adding that Washington would prefer “the easy way”, but could pursue “the hard way” if Russia or China sought to move in.

Trump has repeatedly argued that US control of Greenland is essential to prevent rival powers from becoming America’s neighbours in the Arctic.

Pushback from Denmark and Greenland

Greenland, the world’s largest island, is a self-governing territory within Denmark and a NATO partner of the United States. Danish and Greenlandic leaders have consistently rejected any suggestion of annexation or sale, stressing that Greenland’s future must be decided by its own people.