There has been a lot of excitement in Denmark and the rest of Europe as a result of the assumption that Donald Trump, the incoming President of the United States, has expressed interest in purchasing Greenland on multiple occasions.
Nevertheless, this is not the first time that Trump has proposed the idea on his own. In 2019, he attempted it for the first time and was failed. However, he has not let this deter him from making another attempt. Trump is once again engaging in this behaviour, which is reminiscent of a handsome man gazing at a beautiful woman who is in high demand.
During his first term as President of the United States, Donald Trump initially indicated interest in purchasing Greenland, which is the largest island in the world and also serves as Denmark’s autonomous territory. This desire was voiced sometime around August of 2019. There are stories that indicate that President Trump has brought up the concept on many occasions with his advisors and has even given instructions to his White House lawyer to investigate the practicalities of such a deal.
After the news was made public, it was welcomed with scepticism and humour in the media and on social media platforms. The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, referred to the concept as “absurd.”
In reaction to Prime Minister Frederiksen’s rejection of his “offer,” however, President Trump decided to postpone a state visit to Denmark that had been scheduled. This action brought to light the extent to which he was truly serious about the offer.
However, the question that needs to be taken into consideration is, why exactly does Donald Trump have such a strong desire for Greenland? Whether this was a well-thought-out strategic recommendation or merely a whimsical, loose remark made by Trump (whose reputation for whimsicality predates his name), it depends on how you look at it.
Within this post, we make an effort to comprehend his action.
Is the United States taking new steps to acquire Greenland?
Although the concept of purchasing Greenland appeared to be completely out of the ordinary to many people, it was not completely unheard of, nor was it devoid of any strategic rationale.
During an interview with ABC News, Tom Høyem, who served as Denmark’s minister to Greenland from 1982 to 1987, expressed that there has been a sporadic occurrence of interest about the acquisition of Greenland.
Since before World War II, when Denmark sold the Danish West Indies, which are now known as the United States Virgin Islands, to the United States for $25 million in 1917, the purchase of Greenland has been a topic of discourse, according to Høyem, who contributed this information in his interview with ABC News.
Trump has reiterated his demands for expansion.
Over the course of the previous few weeks, President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his continued interest in purchasing Greenland. In addition, he has discussed the possibility of retaking control of the Panama Canal and incorporating Canada as the “51st state.”
Additionally, Donald Trump stated that he would not commit to denying the possibility of using military action to achieve his territorial objectives.
Furthermore, while European leaders Olaf Scholz and Jean-Noël Barrot ridiculed his proposals, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede rejected the idea by way of a statement posted on Facebook. The message, which may be translated as “Greenland is ours,” We are not an item that can be purchased, and we will never be. It is imperative that we do not give up on our year-long fight for freedom. On the other hand, we must maintain our willingness to work together…”
Again, despite the fact that Trump insists that the occupation of Greenland is necessary for the sake of “national security,” European officials have cautioned him that any unlawful attempt to obtain control of the enormous Arctic island will be faced with military force, and that the European Union has the right to protect its territory.
During his trip to Greenland, Donald Trump Jr.
There was a brief visit to Greenland made by Donald Trump Jr., the son of the incoming president, on Tuesday, which coincided with the announcement that Trump Sr. had made to purchase the island.
In a post that he published on the social media platform Truth Social on Monday, he stated, “Greenland will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation.” He went on to say, “We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside World.” A RESTORATION OF GREENLAND’S GREATNESS!
On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, a jet carrying Donald Trump Jr. landed in Nuuk, which is located in Greenand. Emil Stach/Associated Press)
However, before leaving Greenland on his father’s private jet, which he referred to as Trump Force One, Trump Jr. explained himself on his podcast titled “Triggered” by saying, “No, I am not buying Greenland,” despite the fact that he stated that he did like his time there.
On the other hand, why does Trump want Greenland?
1. Political and Geopolitical Importance
Greenland is situated in the Arctic area, between North America and Europe, and holds a strategic position that is essential to its overall significance. Because of the melting of ice and the development of new sea routes, Greenland’s location is of tremendous strategic relevance to the United States. This is because the Arctic is becoming a focal point for global power rivalry.
The island acts as a gateway to the Arctic, where governments are competing for control over newly accessible resources and shipping lanes. The island helps to facilitate this competition.
By way of the Thule Air Base, which is an essential location for missile defence and early warning systems, the United States of America already keeps a military presence in Greenland.
Through the acquisition of Greenland, the United States military would be able to deepen its footing in the Arctic area, which would allow for increased control and surveillance in the region. The significance of this cannot be overstated in light of the fact that Russia and China are expanding their activities in the Arctic, which include the construction of military bases and the pursuit of resource extraction.
Sources of Natural Resources
Rare earth minerals, oil, gas, and precious metals are only some of the natural resources that Greenland possesses in exceptional quantities. Particularly important for the development of modern technologies like smartphones, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems are components that are classified as rare earth elements. The United States is extremely dependent on China for the importation of rare earths; but, if Greenland’s resources were secured, this dependence may be reduced.
Henriksen (2008) created a simplified geological map of Greenland that depicts basement terrains and sedimentary basins.
Additionally, as a result of climate change, Greenland’s ice sheets are melting, which might result in a greater portion of the country’s resource-rich territory being made available for exploration and the extraction of resources. According to Trump, who is well-known for his emphasis on energy independence, Greenland was most likely viewed as a long-term investment that had enormous economic potential.
3. Potential Benefits of Trade
The terrain of the Arctic is undergoing fast transformation as a result of climate change, which presents both difficulties and opportunities. Through the melting of ice, new maritime routes are being opened up, such as the Northwest Passage. These new shipping routes have the potential to cut the distances and prices of transportation around the world, which would be beneficial to the United States as a whole.
If the United States were to gain control of Greenland, it would provide them with a strategic edge that would allow them to navigate and potentially dominate these new trade routes.
In addition, as a result of climate change, Greenland’s ice is getting thinner, which means that more of the country’s land is becoming accessible for development, the extraction of resources, and scientific research. Given the current state of the environment, it is possible that President Trump considered Greenland to be an extremely valuable asset.
4. Previous Examples from History
The notion that the United States of America may acquire Greenland is not a novel one. Following the acquisition of Alaska from Russia in 1867, the United States of America investigated the possibility of gaining Greenland and Iceland. During the early stages of the Cold War, President Harry Truman made an offer to Denmark amounting to one hundred million dollars in gold for Greenland. This was done in recognition of Greenland’s strategic importance. Despite the fact that Denmark declined the offer, the United States continued to keep a presence on the island through the Thule Air Base.
President Trump most certainly believed that he was following in the footsteps of other leaders who had undertaken land acquisitions that had a transformative effect, such as Thomas Jefferson with the Louisiana Purchase and William Seward with the Alaska Purchase among others. It is possible that he saw the acquisition of Greenland to be an accomplishment that would define his legacy.
Implications for the Geopolitical System
The fact that Trump is interested in Greenland brought to light deeper tendencies in the geopolitics of the Arctic. As a result of the acceleration of climate change and the increased accessibility of the Arctic, nations are increasingly competing with one another for influence and resources present in the region.
In recent years, the Arctic Council, which is an intergovernmental organisation consisting of Arctic nations, has emerged as a central location for discussions concerning environmentally responsible development and sustainable development. However, conflicts between major countries pose a threat to the region’s ability to participate in cooperative endeavours.
6. A strategy developed by the United States to counteract the expansions of Russia and China in the Arctic
Reopening bases that were established during the Soviet era and deploying cutting-edge weaponry are just two examples of Russia’s aggressive expansion of its military and economic activity in the Arctic. Using the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a basis, it has also asserted its ownership over extensive stretches of the underwater terrain in the Arctic.
China, on the other hand, has declared itself a “near-Arctic state” and has been investing in Arctic infrastructure and resource projects. This is despite the fact that China is not a nation that is traditionally located in the Arctic. The establishment of a “Polar Silk Road” is a component of its Arctic policy, with the goal of easing the flow of commerce across the region.
Against this backdrop, the plans that President Trump has in place to concentrate on Greenland demonstrate that the United States, which was relatively reluctant to build a cohesive strategy for the Arctic, is finally recalibrating its attention on the Arctic area, which is significant for the United States in both economic and military terms.
Through the acquisition of Greenland, the United States will be able to strengthen its position in the Arctic and improve its ability to counteract the influence coming from Russia and China.
