At a press conference Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his desire to acquire Greenland, calling it critical to U.S. national security. said.
The Republican leader, who is scheduled to take office on January 20, did not rule out using military or economic power to achieve his goal of occupying the autonomous Danish territory.
President Trump has also said he wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and take control of the Panama Canal as part of a push for U.S. territorial expansion since winning the November election.
So why would President Trump want to acquire Greenland, which is 80% covered in snow and more than 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) from the US capital, Washington, DC? Is this the first time the US has attempted to acquire Greenland?
Where is Greenland? What is its status?
Located between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland is the world’s largest island and is geographically part of North America. Although Australia is much larger and surrounded by ocean, it is not considered an island as it is a continent.
Greenland is home to approximately 56,000 people, most of whom are indigenous Inuit.
The capital Nuuk is closer to New York (approximately 2,900 km, 1,800 miles) than to Copenhagen, which is 3,500 km (2,174 miles) to the east.
The island was under Danish rule from the early 18th century until it became an autonomous territory in 1979. Since 2009, Greenland has had the right to declare independence through a referendum.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede has called for independence from Denmark.
The Arctic island is one of Denmark’s two autonomous regions, the other being the Faroe Islands.
Since Denmark is part of NATO, Greenland is by default part of the North Atlantic Military Alliance.
Although Greenland is not a member state of the European Union, it is a member of the European Union as one of the EU’s 25 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). “OCT nationals are EU nationals,” the EU law website states. Greenlanders are therefore considered EU nationals.
Greenland, along with Denmark, joined the now-defunct European Community in 1973, but left in 1985. The European Union replaced the European Community.
The EU has not publicly commented on President Trump’s recent remarks.
How did Greenland and Denmark respond to President Trump’s threats?
On December 23, President Trump said in a post on his Truth social media platform that “ownership and control of Greenland is absolutely necessary.”
In response, Greenland’s elected Prime Minister Egede said the island was not for sale. “Greenland is ours. We are not and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Egede said in a written statement. stated in a comment by.
The Danish government has announced that it will increase defense spending for Greenland to $1.5 billion, in response to President Trump’s desire to take over the autonomous island.
On Tuesday, ahead of his son Donald Trump Jr.’s visit to Greenland, the incoming US president again posted on his Truth Social platform: our country… ”
Following President Trump’s latest comments, Egede met with Denmark’s King Frederick X in Copenhagen on Wednesday, although details of the meeting were not made public.
“Greenland belongs to Greenlanders,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday, while Foreign Minister Lars Lökke Rasmussen said there was no ambition for the island to become a federal state in the United States. .
“As an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland enjoys sovereignty under the Rigsfäreskavet framework and any military intervention would be a direct violation of Greenland’s rights, as well as Denmark’s rights.” said Christine Nissen, chief analyst at the Copenhagen-based Institute for Thought. Tank Europa, he told Al Jazeera.
“Denmark and the EU are striking a difficult balance: striving to maintain a constructive relationship with the United States, an important transatlantic partner, while also dealing with serious concerns about fundamental principles such as sovereignty being threatened. must be emphasized.
“This situation requires strategic diplomacy that combines firm boundaries with efforts to de-escalate tensions and protect the interests of broader cooperation,” she said.
Why does Trump want Greenland?
This is not the first time President Trump has expressed a desire to take control of the island, which is home to a U.S. military base. President Trump canceled a visit to Copenhagen after Denmark, a close U.S. ally, rejected his proposal to buy Copenhagen during his first term.
Greenland provides the shortest route from North America to Europe. This would give the United States a strategic advantage in military and ballistic missile early warning systems.
The United States has shown interest in expanding its military presence in Greenland by installing radar in the waters connecting Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. These waters are a gateway for Russian and Chinese ships, and the U.S. government is keen to track them down.
The island is also incredibly rich in minerals, including rare earth minerals used in the production of batteries and high-tech industries.
A 2023 study found that 25 of the 34 minerals deemed “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were found in Greenland.
There is no oil and gas extraction in Greenland, and its mining sector is opposed by indigenous peoples. The island’s economy relies primarily on fishing.
Has the US ever tried to buy Greenland?
yes. The United States has long expressed an interest in Greenland.
The United States considered purchasing Greenland at least twice, including in 1867 and 1946.
In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia. After this, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate the purchase of Greenland from Russia.
The United States occupied Greenland in 1941 after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark during World War II. It established a military and radio presence on the island, and ever since, U.S. forces have maintained a permanent presence at Pitufik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base, in northwestern Greenland.
In 1946, while Greenland was still a colony of Denmark, U.S. President Harry S. Truman offered to buy the island for $100 million, but Denmark rejected the offer. This was done under Cold War-era secrecy and was first made public in 1991 in an Associated Press report.
Mercator projection: How big is Greenland?
Some current world maps are misleading regarding the actual size of Greenland. The Arctic island covers an area of 2.17 million square kilometers (836,330 square miles), approximately three times the size of the U.S. state of Texas.
However, based on maps, the territory of Denmark is recognized as much larger. This is because modern world maps generally use a template called the Mercator projection, which was invented by European cartographer Geert de Kremer in 1569. This projection has been criticized for distorting the proportions of landmass.
The Mercator map shows Greenland’s territory to be approximately the same size as Africa. But in reality, 14 Greenlands fit inside Africa.
Why did President Trump’s son visit Greenland?
Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland on Tuesday. Greenland’s government said Trump Jr. was visiting the island “in his personal capacity” and that Greenlandic representatives would not meet him.
Nevertheless, President Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Monday and wrote, “I hear the people of Greenland are ‘MAGA'” in reference to the Make America Great Again movement.
“My son, Don Jr., and various delegates will be traveling there to visit the most amazing areas and sights.
President Trump added: “Greenland is a wonderful place, and our people would benefit tremendously if it became part of our country.” “We protect it from the very vicious outside world and we cherish it.”
How has the world reacted?
President Trump’s recent comments have angered some European leaders and pose challenges to U.S.-EU relations.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday condemned President Trump’s idea. “Borders must not be moved by force. This principle applies to all countries, east or west,” he wrote on his X account.
“In consultation with our European partners, we are concerned about recent statements from the United States. It is clear that we must come together.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault told state radio on Wednesday: “There is no question that the EU will allow the rest of the world to attack its own sovereign borders, no matter who they are.”
Nissen of the Europe think tank said that if President Trump’s threats come true, it would create a “fundamental rift” in the relationship between the US and the EU, and could even lead to “the collapse of the current international order, including NATO and the free world.” He said it could lead to. order. “
“This is because Europe has a vested interest in doing everything possible to reduce the likelihood of this becoming a reality, in order to maintain stability and keep speculative threats speculative. “This confirms that there is,” he said.
