Annexing Greenland wasn’t on many lists for a black swan event in 2026. But the Trump administration seems determined to buy Greenland, whatever it takes. The president has threatened to impose a 10% tariff on eight European countries (all allies of the United States) if Denmark doesn’t agree to sell Greenland to the United States.
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There will undoubtedly be twists and turns to this story. However, as investors, it’s time to start thinking about what opportunities might be available if Greenland becomes part of the United States.
But First, Why Greenland?
The issues involving the United States interest in annexing Greenland are multifaceted. A deep dive is better left to people who have more knowledge of the issues. However, on a high level, Greenland has vast, untapped reserves of critical minerals, including rare earth elements (REEs), that are needed for many of the current advanced technologies, including those having to do with the defense industry.
Critical Metals
Critical Metals (NASDAQ: CRML) is a rare earth play that is up over 150% in the first two weeks of 2026. The stock isn’t climbing for fundamental reasons. The mining company is still in the exploratory stage, so it is not profitable and has no revenue. This is a buy-the-headline event.
In this case, Critical Metals has received the go-ahead to begin construction of its Tanbreez rare-earth project in Greenland. This comes at approximately the same time that the company announced plans for a joint venture with Saudi Arabia that will create a $1.5 billion rare earth mineral processing facility in the kingdom.
Energy Fuels
Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: UUUU) is a company that is largely known for its uranium production. However, the company is leveraging existing U.S. infrastructure to move beyond being just a uranium producer, building out rare earth separation capabilities. This gives investors a pure‑play on the policy push to rebuild Western nuclear and critical minerals supply chains.
Management has outlined a path to commercial heavy rare earth oxide production by around 2026, backed by roughly $900 million in available capital to fund the build‑out. That timeline aligns with U.S. Department of Energy initiatives to end reliance on Russian nuclear fuel and expand domestic enrichment and processing capacity, effectively pulling forward demand visibility for politically favored suppliers.
By focusing on processing and separation rather than only greenfield mining, the company aims to sit in the highest‑value part of the supply chain where federal incentives and strategic offtake agreements are likely to concentrate. Still, investors should be mindful that the company isn’t yet profitable.
MP Materials
MP Materials (NYSE: MP) gives investors direct leverage to the U.S. rare earth magnet story, anchored by its Mountain Pass operation in California, one of the only scaled rare earth mines and processors outside China. As Washington broadens its definition of “critical minerals” and shifts funding toward high‑risk supply chains, rare earth producers with proven assets and processing capabilities are positioned to benefit disproportionately.
The U.S. is moving from viewing rare earths as a niche EV and wind story to recognizing them as foundational for defense, automation, and advanced manufacturing. Permanent magnets made from neodymium‑iron‑boron and related materials are essential for precision‑guided munitions, drones, radar, and other systems that sit at the center of rising defense budgets.
Investors should watch how MP executes downstream integration into magnet production, where margins and strategic value are highest. As the government seeks to tilt contracts and incentives toward domestic supply, a scaled U.S. mine‑to‑magnet platform could become a core node in the Western critical minerals’ ecosystem, with demand tied to both electrification and rearmament.
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) remains one of the most direct ways to express a view that defense spending is entering a structurally higher range as geopolitical risk rises and NATO moves toward more ambitious spending targets. Programs like the F‑35, missile defense systems, and advanced munitions give the company durable, multi‑decade cash flows that tend to grow when policymakers prioritize deterrence and replenishment of depleted stockpiles.
With the U.S. defense budget projected to push above $1 trillion in fiscal 2026, and additional reconciliation funding under discussion, primes like Lockheed are likely to see growing order books across air, missile, and space platforms. The Pentagon has already highlighted the need to sharply increase production of missiles and drones, areas where Lockheed’s existing capacity and technology base offer a competitive edge.
For investors, the key lens is backlog and visibility. As NATO partners accelerate their own procurement to meet higher GDP‑based targets, international orders can complement U.S. demand, supporting a defensive earnings profile that tends to hold up better through economic cycles.
RTX Corporation
RTX (NYSE: RTX) formed from the merger of United Technologies and Raytheon, provides a diversified play on both commercial aerospace recovery and rising global defense outlays. The company’s Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney segments tie RTX to long‑cycle engine and avionics demand, while the Raytheon business gives it exposure to missiles, missile defense, radar, and secure communications that sit at the heart of modern conflict.
RTX has been growing revenue while expanding its backlog, with recent quarters showing sales in the low‑ to mid‑$80 billion range annually and a backlog that has climbed into the mid‑$200 billion zone. That order book provides multiyear visibility as NATO partners and the U.S. simultaneously replace depleted inventories and invest in next‑generation air and missile defense systems.
From a financial standpoint, RTX has returned to solid profitability with normalized return on equity in the low‑teens and a dividend yield that, while modest, has room to grow as free cash flow improves. With a beta below 1 and a mix of commercial and defense cash flows, the stock offers a relatively balanced way to participate in both the aerospace upcycle and the rearmament trend.
Why These Themes Converge
Taken together, CRML, UUUU, MP, LMT, and RTX sit at the junction of three secular forces: critical mineral security, nuclear and electrification tailwinds, and a sustained upshift in global defense spending. Policymakers are signaling that they are willing to commit hundreds of billions of dollars over the coming decade to reduce reliance on Russia and China for nuclear fuel, rare earths, and advanced military hardware, effectively underwriting demand for aligned suppliers.
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