The United States Staying the Course in Antarctica
Three recent actions should cool speculation that the United States would significantly change its approach towards Antarctica. First, the U.S. Department of State released a press statement that reaffirmed its commitment to the Antarctic Treaty system. Second, the Department demonstrated the utility of the existing system by using the Antarctic Treaty Article VII provision to conduct a surprise inspection to answer questions about potential threats to its national security interests in Antarctica. Third, the U.S. Congress passed legislation that increases funding for research and operations in Antarctica.
The separate statements and actions by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Congress indicates that the Trump Administration will not immediately change the longstanding policy of the United States towards Antarctica. This decision to stay the course is consistent with the U.S. National Security Strategy released in November, which emphasized that the United States needs to prioritize where it spends its time and capital to advance its national interests, and should allow for the United States to pursue its national security interests elsewhere.
The U.S. Department of State issued the clearest statement yet by the Trump Administration about U.S. policy in Antarctica via press release on January 22, “The United States continues to safeguard our national security interests and reflect continued U.S. participation and activity.
by ensuring the continent remains reserved for peaceful purposes only, pursuant to the 1959 Antarctic Treaty…. The inspection reflects this Administration’s commitment to ensuring compliance with the Antarctic Treaty System, including provisions regarding prohibited military activities and mining, as well as other provisions promoting safe station operation and scientific research.”
This press release also announced the completion of an unannounced inspection by U.S. government officials of Australian, Chinese, Indian, and Russian stations in the Larsemann Hills region of Antarctica. This surprise inspection was the first U.S. inspection since it inspected stations in the Ross Sea in 2020 during the first Trump Administration. This was the 16th such inspection conducted by the United States in Antarctica, demonstrating that the Antarctic Treaty system provides significant oversight and deterrence benefits to countries that use those provisions. It also demonstrates that the Trump Administration continues to prioritize using effective tools to monitor and deter potentially malicious activities of countries in Antarctica.
Separately, on January 23, President Trump signed into law the FY2026 appropriations bill that maintains adequate funding for U.S. science and logistics in Antarctica through the National Science Foundation (NSF). Congress appropriated $700 million for polar research and operations, of which not less than $118 million be used for U.S. Antarctic Logistical Support. This is a substantial increase from the $500 million initially requested by the Trump Administration and $20 million more than NSF received in FY2024. As is normal, the law does not detail how NSF would spend the funds, but it would be reasonable to assume that NSF would fund the scientific research that had been heavily cut in the initial request.
These actions by Congress and the State Department demonstrate that the United States believes that the Antarctic Treaty system continues to advance U.S. geopolitical interests as it has done for decades and is the best achievable starting point to ensure the region does not threaten U.S. geopolitical interests in the coming years. These actions took place without any significant public debate, which is appropriate since the United States does not have a specific sovereignty claim and is prohibited by international and U.S. domestic law from mining for energy or critical minerals south of 60S Latitude. While the Trump Administration has demonstrated remarkable ability to pivot from one issue to another, the recent actions indicate that the United States is continuing its traditional role in Antarctica focused on peace and scientific activity.
William Muntean
William Muntean is a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who regularly writes, comments, and lectures on the geopolitics of Antarctica. He was a career diplomat for the U.S. Department of State for over twenty years, culminating in serving as the Senior Advisor for Antarctica from 2018 – 2023. The opinions and characterizations in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. government.
