Why does Trump want Greenland and could he get it?

US President-elect Donald Trump says he wants to make Greenland a part of the United States and does not rule out using military or economic power to get Denmark to hand over the mineral-rich and strategically important island.

“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation,” Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday.

“This is a deal that must happen,” Trump said on Tuesday as his son, Donald Trump Jr., paid a private visit to Greenland.

Trump first expressed interest in buying the mostly ice-covered island of just 57,000 people from Denmark in 2019 but was rebuffed.

WHY DOES TRUMP WANT GREENLAND?

Greenland, part of NATO through the membership of Denmark, has strategic significance for the U.S. military and for its ballistic missile early-warning system since the shortest route from Europe to North America runs via the Arctic Island.

The U.S. military maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik air base in Greenland’s northwest.

The United States has expressed interest in expanding its military presence, including placing radars there to monitor the waters between the island, Iceland and Britain, which are a gateway for Russian navy vessels and nuclear submarines.

Greenland is geographically part of the North American continent, and it is vital for the United States to prevent any other major powers establishing a foothold on the island, according to Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher and expert on Greenland at the Danish Institute for International Studies.

The island, whose capital Nuuk is closer to New York than the Danish capital Copenhagen, boasts mineral, oil and natural gas wealth, but development has been slow.

A 2023 survey showed that 25 of 34 minerals deemed “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were found in Greenland. They include significant quantities of materials used in batteries, such as graphite and lithium, and also so-called rare earth elements used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Greenland has banned extraction of oil and natural gas for environmental reasons, and development of its mining sector has been snarled in red tape and opposition from indigenous people.

This has kept Greenland’s economy reliant on fishing, which accounts for over 95% of exports, and annual subsidies from Denmark, which cover roughly half of the public budget.

In total, Denmark spends just under $1 billion each year on Greenland.

WHO OWNS GREENLAND AND COULD TRUMP BUY IT?

Greenland has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years but now controls most of its own domestic affairs as a semi-sovereign territory under the Danish realm.

It became a formal territory of Denmark in 1953 and is subject to the Danish constitution, meaning any change to its legal status would require a constitutional amendment.

In 2009, the island was granted broad self-governing autonomy, including the right to declare independence from Denmark through a referendum.

Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede, who has stepped up a push for independence, has repeatedly said the island is not for sale and that it is up to its people to decide their future.

Egede was holding talks in Copenhagen on Wednesday with King Frederik that are likely to be dominated by Trump’s latest remarks.

In 2019 both Greenland and Denmark rejected Trump’s offer to buy the island.
When Greenland was still a colony, the U.S. under then-President Harry Truman sought to buy the island as a strategic asset during the Cold War for $100 million in gold, but Copenhagen declined to sell.

WHAT IF GREENLAND BECOMES INDEPENDENT?

If Greenland becomes independent, it could choose to become associated with the United States.

While the majority of Greenlanders want independence, few see full independence as viable given their economic dependence on Denmark, which is part of the affluent European Union.
One option could be to form a so-called “free association” pact with the United States, similar to the status of Pacific island nations Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau.

“Greenland is talking about becoming independent from Denmark, but no Greenlanders want to just switch to a new colonial master,” said Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher and expert on Greenland.

He finds it unlikely Greenland will vote for independence without ensuring the welfare of its population.

WHAT DOES GREENLAND WANT?

A majority of Greenland’s inhabitants support independence, but are divided over the timing and potential impact on living standards.

Greenlandic politicians have since 2019 repeatedly said they are interested in strengthening cooperation and trade with the United States.

However, Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said the idea of a U.S. takeover should be firmly rejected. “I don’t want to be a pawn in Trump’s hot dreams of expanding his empire to include our country,” she wrote.

Greenland cold-shoulders Trump’s buyer’s interest

WHAT DOES DENMARK SAY?

The renewed interest comes amid heightened tensions between Greenland and Denmark, following revelations of historical misconduct by the former colonial ruler.

Trump’s 2019 offer to buy the island was firmly rejected by Denmark, a close NATO ally of the United States, and labelled as “absurd” by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

When asked about Trump’s renewed interest on Tuesday, Frederiksen said: “We need very close cooperation with the Americans.”

She added: “On the other hand, I would like to encourage everyone to respect that the Greenlanders are a people, it is their country, and only Greenland can determine and define Greenland’s future.”