Why Donald Trump Wants to Buy Greenland.

On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. arrived in Greenland, the Arctic island that his father, President-elect Donald Trump, has shown a keen interest in acquiring, despite Greenland’s firm declaration that it is not up for sale.

In December, Trump reignited suggestions made during his first presidency regarding US ownership of Greenland, describing it as “an absolute necessity. ” When asked at a Tuesday news conference if he would exclude the use of “military or economic coercion” to acquire Greenland — or Panama, which Trump has also shown interest in owning — the president-elect replied, “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two, but I can say this: We need them for economic security. ”

The president-elect claims that possessing Greenland is crucial for US security, but experts argue he may also be considering other aspects of Greenland such as its abundant natural resources — including rare earth metals — which may become more accessible due to climate change melting the region’s ice.

A unique geopolitical position
Greenland is the largest island globally and has a population of over 56,000. Once a Danish colony and now an autonomous territory of Denmark, it holds a distinctive geopolitical position, sitting between the US and Europe. Its capital, Nuuk, is closer to New York than it is to Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.

It has long been viewed as essential for US security, particularly for deterring a potential attack from Russia, according to Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies. The Northwest Passage shipping route runs along its coastline, and the island is part of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom gap, a significant maritime area.

Trump is not the first US president to propose the idea of acquiring Greenland. In 1867, when President Andrew Johnson purchased Alaska, he also contemplated acquiring Greenland. After World War II, the Truman administration proposed $100 million to Denmark for the island, based on documents initially reported by Danish media.

Neither proposal was realized, but under a 1951 defense agreement, the US obtained an air base now known as Pituffik Space Base, located in northwest Greenland. Positioned midway between Moscow and New York, it serves as the northernmost base of the US armed forces and is equipped with a missile warning system.

The US is eager to ensure “no hostile great powers control Greenland, because it can be a foothold for attacking the US,” Pram Gad informed CNN.

Rich in rare minerals
What may be even more enticing to Trump, however, is Greenland’s abundant natural resource deposits, according to Klaus Dodds, a geopolitics professor at Royal Holloway, University of London.

These encompass oil and gas, in addition to the rare earth metals that are increasingly in demand for the electric vehicles and wind turbines that are part of the green transition, as well as for the manufacturing of military equipment.

Currently, China leads global rare earth production and has already threatened to limit the export of essential minerals and associated technologies in light of Trump’s anticipated second term.
“There is no doubt whatsoever that Trump and his advisors are highly worried about the control that China seems to possess,” Dodds mentioned to CNN. Greenland presents a potentially lucrative source of these essential minerals, he stated. “I believe Greenland fundamentally revolves around preventing China from gaining influence. ”

Opportunities as the ice melts
The melting ice and swiftly increasing Arctic temperatures are providing Greenland with a prime view of the climate crisis, yet some also perceive economic prospects as climate change alters the nation.

The reduction of ice has created new shipping pathways, extending the duration they can be traveled during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Arctic shipping increased by 37% over the decade leading to 2024, according to the Arctic Council, partly due to the melting ice.

“Trump, I believe, intuitively understands that the Arctic is thawing,” along with the perceived prospects, Dodds remarked. While he warned, in truth, conditions on these routes are still frequently perilous, and the melting ice could render the waters even more hazardous to navigate.