Greenland’s government has issued a sharp rebuke to a Texas-based oil company with ties to President Trump after drilling equipment was brought ashore without official authorization, as the firm pushes ahead with plans to explore for massive oil reserves beneath the Arctic territory.

The dispute comes as President Trump has renewed his public calls for the United States to take control of Greenland. In recent days, equipment intended for exploratory drilling was unloaded along Greenland’s eastern coastline, prompting officials to stress that the operation had not been approved.

In a strongly worded statement, Greenland’s government said no authorization had been granted for the delivery of the equipment and reminded the company that, “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out.”

Just two days after the warning, Trump intensified attention on Greenland by posting an image on Truth Social depicting himself towering over a Greenlandic village.

The company at the center of the controversy, Greenland Energy, was established in Texas last year. Its executives believe the Jameson Land region could contain as much as $1 trillion in crude oil and have announced plans to invest $60 million to drill two exploratory wells to determine the area’s potential.

Although Greenland halted the issuance of new oil exploration licenses in 2021 because of environmental concerns, British company 80 Mile already held exploration rights in Jameson Land. According to Greenland Energy’s corporate filings, the Texas firm plans to acquire a controlling interest in the project by financing the exploration effort, though it still requires formal approval from Greenland’s government before drilling can begin.

The company has enlisted Phil McGraw, widely known as Dr. Phil, the conservative former television host who previously served on President Trump’s religious freedom commission, to produce a documentary series that will “capture the mission of these modern-day wildcatters.”

Greenland Energy has also added to its board a retired U.S. Navy veteran who is involved in developing the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, a project for which Trump has argued that control of Greenland is “vital.”

Company chairman Larry Swets, a major shareholder with reported connections to Trump’s political circle, has insisted that the drilling project “not related to American annexation.”

Following a community meeting in Jameson Land in June, where a company representative incorrectly stated that permission had already been granted to bring drilling equipment ashore, Swets acknowledged the mistake, saying, “Our enthusiasm for the project led us to communicate in a way that created confusion.”

Despite that clarification, residents in the remote region reported seeing a tugboat towing a barge to shore the following month and unloading roughly a dozen shipping containers. Greenland’s government later confirmed that “The goal was to get the equipment onshore at Nunap Qeqqa [Jameson Land] in connection with planned oil exploration drilling.”

The Danish investigative outlet Danwatch reported that the head of the shipping company confirmed the cargo had been delivered on behalf of Greenland Energy.

The company has not responded publicly to questions about the controversy. However, in a letter sent to shareholders on Thursday, Greenland Energy stated: “Recent high-level meetings between project leadership and Greenlandic regulatory and oversight authorities have been constructive, and we continue to be encouraged by the progress being made toward the remaining approvals required for drilling.” The company also indicated that it now intends to begin with a single exploratory well rather than two.

As a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland controls its own natural resources, placing the decision squarely in the hands of its elected officials. Those leaders now face mounting pressure as they weigh whether to authorize drilling in an area that appears to overlap with land protected under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands or reject the proposal, a move some fear could further inflame Trump’s interest in the territory.

While Greenland’s government said it believes it “would not be proportionate” to order the removal of the equipment already delivered, officials emphasized that the company’s application remains under review and no drilling approval has been issued.

A representative for Greenland Energy has said another vessel carrying approximately 300 containers of drilling equipment is scheduled to depart Canada on September 12, with drilling operations expected to begin in October if approval is secured.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who serves as Trump’s envoy to Greenland, has predicted that oil production on the island could begin as early as next year.

{Matzav.com}