Why does Trump want to buy Greenland? Here’s what you need to know as Don Jr. visits.

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President-elect Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., arrived in Greenland on Tuesday for a personal visit, as in recent weeks Trump has renewed his proposal that the Danish territory should become part of the United States, one of several controversial territorial power grabs Trump has floated. , often with reference to national security – although Denmark and Greenland have strongly rejected the idea.

Key facts

Why is Trump pushing to buy Greenland?

Trump has been buying the island for many years. Trump wrote on Truth Social last month that the United States should take control of Greenland “for national security and freedom.” He also proposed the idea in 2019, telling reporters, “strategically, it’s interesting” and calling the theoretical acquisition “essentially . . . a big real estate deal.” The Danish territory is home to the US military’s Pituffik space base and has become increasingly important geopolitically as melting ice in the Arctic Circle has opened up new North Atlantic shipping lanes, attracting interest from US rivals Russia and China. Arctic shipping rose 37%. over the past decade, CNN notes with reference to Arctic Counciland the Northwest Passage – a sailing route that connects the Atlantic and the Pacific – passes Greenland. The island is also part of strategic important Greenland-Iceland-Great Britain gap, a choke point that Russian ships must transit to travel from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. But as NATO members, the US and Denmark are already close to each other.

Does Greenland have mineral wealth?

Greenland is thought to be at home to a wealth of untapped mineral resources including coal, zinc, copper, iron ore, diamonds and oil, although only small parts of the island have been explored, partly due to its harsh conditions as it is predominantly covered by ice and glaciers.

Who owns Greenland?

Greenland is part of Denmark. The country’s links to the island – home to fewer than 60,000 people, most of whom are Inuit – stretch back centuries: Nordic settlers arrived in the territory over a millennium ago before they eventually disappeared and Denmark began colonization of the island in the 18th century. Greenland now has representatives in the Danish parliament, and its municipal council has gained more independence to handle internal affairs in recent decades, although Denmark still controls its foreign affairs. In recent years, a push for full independence has become more prominent. Trump claimed in 2019 that Greenland “hurts Denmark very badly because they lose almost $700 million a year carrying it,” referring to Denmark’s economic aid to Greenland.

Is Greenland for sale?

No Greenland became self-governing in 2009, and a change in its ownership or legal status would require an amendment to the Danish constitution, according to Reuters. Leaders in Greenland and Denmark have rejected Trump’s proposal. Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede said last month: “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long fight for freedom.” Denmark’s King Frederik also changed the royal coat of arms earlier this month to more prominently feature a polar bear representing Greenland and a ram representing the Faroe Islands – leading to some speculation The move was a subliminal message to Trump, even though Greenland and Denmark have experienced increased tensions in recent years, as Greenland’s government has called for independence. The Danish royal household did not address suggestions that the changes were made in response to Trump, but said in a statement that the three crowns, symbolizing the union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, were replaced by the ram and the polar bear because they ” were no longer relevant”, The Guardian reported. Trump on Tuesday threatened “very high” tariffs against Denmark if it rejects his efforts to buy Greenland and did not rule out using military or economic force to take control of the island. The leaders also vehemently rejected the idea of ​​selling Greenland to the US when Trump first made the proposal in 2019. At the time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it “an absurd discussion” and said: “I very much hope that this is not meant seriously . . . Comments encouraged a public feud with Trump canceling a planned visit to Denmark because of Frederiksen’s comments, which he called “nasty” and “inappropriate.”

What other territories has Trump proposed to take over?

Trump has also threatened to demand the return of the Panama Canal, and has fabulously suggested that the US should take ownership of Canada. Trump referred to Canada as “the 51st state” in a Truth Social post Monday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his plans to step down. Trump’s threat in November to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico has angered Canadian leaders and divided Trudeau and his allies. Trump said Canada would “be TOTALLY SAFE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese ships that constantly surround them” if it joined the United States. Some Canadian politicians have rejected the proposal, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford joking suggests Canada should buy Minnesota and Alaska. More seriously, Trump said last month that he would demand “the return of the Panama Canal to us, in its entirety, quickly and without question” unless the Panamanian government met its “moral and legal” demands, repeating his complaints that that Panama accuses the United States of “grossly unfair” fees for ships passing through the canal.The United States built the canal in the 20th century and retained control of the area around it for decades before it was transferred to Panama from 1970s Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino rejected the proposal to cede the canal in a video messageand said: “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent territory belongs to PANAMA and will remain so.” Trump replied on Truth Social: “We’ll see about that,” and posted a photo of the American flag over the canal with text “Welcome to America’s Channel!”

Surprising facts

Former President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million in gold in 1946 to buy Greenland amid heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. Greenland sat between the two countries and was considered a potential battleground. The offer was “seen as a bit of an insult” to the Danish government, said Florida State University professor Ronald Doel. Washington Post.

Further reading

The way for President Trump to get Greenland (Forbes)

Trump says Canada should merge with US – trolling Trudeau as he steps down (Forbes)

Trump says the US should take ownership of Greenland and threatens the takeover of the Panama Canal (Forbes)