The president-elect of the USA, Donald Trump, according to the latest statement, wants to incorporate Greenland with the USA, if necessary with military assistance
The US President-elect Donald Trump, after winning the election, has repeated his statements that Greenland should become part of the United States. Greenland is mostly covered by ice, the world’s largest island has only about 56.000 inhabitants. This territory is rich in raw materials and important strategic position in the North Atlantic. It has belonged to Denmark for 600 years, and enjoys extended autonomy. So far Greenland has given up on full independence.
WHAT IS TRUMP LOOKING FOR?
Shortly before Christmas, Trump again opened the discussion about Greenland. The US is of the opinion that “in the interest of national security and freedom in the world” it is an “absolute necessity” to possess and control Greenland, the future president declared. With this, the Republican refers to his failed attempt during his first term, proposing in 2019 to buy Greenland. His son, Trump Jr. visited (07.01.2025) the island, as communicated during a private trip. On the same day, Trump Senior gave a press conference at his residence in Florida. In his statement he did not rule out military steps or economic imposition to establish control over Greenland and the Panama Canal. “This is a deal that must be done,” said Trump.
CAN TRUMP BUY GREENLAND?
Once again, a US president wanted to buy Greenland: Harry Truman, after the Second World War, for 100.000 dollars. Even then the Danish government refused. For his proposal for the purchase of the island in 2019, Trump received an emphatic rejection from Denmark and Greenland. Similar were the reactions even now. “Greenland belongs to us. We are not for sale and we will never be for sale”, declared the Prime Minister of the island, Mute Egede. In his speech on the occasion of the new year, however, the prime minister of Greenland spoke for an independence from Denmark.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO AN INDEPENDENCE OF GREENLAND?
Greenland has been a Danish colony since 1953 and is now a self-governing territory within the kingdom. Since 2009, the island has the right to hold a referendum on declaring independence. If that happens, Greenland could decide on a rapprochement with the US in the form of an association agreement similar to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau in the Pacific. Most of the islanders, although they want independence against the backdrop of economic dependence on Denmark and the EU, are skeptical. Regular parliamentary elections are held in Greenland in the spring. Independence from Denmark is an important topic in the electoral campaign.
WHAT DOES TRUMP OFFER GREENLAND AND ITS PEOPLE?
Trump promises Greenland and its 56.000 inhabitants protection, although so far he has never expressed the motives of his desire. Economically and in terms of geopolitics, this would increase the influence on the Region rich in raw materials. Right now with the melting of the ice sheets and the emergence of underground resources, Russia and China are increasingly trying to assert their claims. The USA with the federal state of Alaska near the Arctic since 1951 has an aviation base in the north-west of Greenland.
The professor of political science in Cologne, Thomas Jäger, in an interview for the private television NTV, has expressed another possible opinion that Trump may have: “It can be imagined that Trump wants to place himself in the line of presidents with tradition, who have significantly expanded the territory – in the 19th century, the US expanded further west and then bought Alaska. That would make him truly one of the great presidents.”
But why does Greenland, the world’s largest island – six times the size of Germany – belong to a small country like Denmark? Geographically the island is clearly located in North America, the most north-western tip of Greenland is right next to the coast of Canada. Denmark, on the other hand, is more than 3000 km from Greenland, with Iceland and part of Norway between them. There were many conflicts, but in the end the Danes won and eventually the icy Greenland passed to Denmark in 1933.
GREENLAND WAS ONCE GREEN
Greenland is called the green country. Because even if it can’t even be imagined today – since 85 percent of the island is under a layer of ice – Greenland used to be much warmer. Researchers have found traces of the DNA of trees, butterflies and other insects. Between 450.000 and 900.000 years ago, Greenland was covered by dense forests. The ice sheet, which is still about 3800 meters thick, is shrinking as the glaciers melt. In addition, more and more rain falls, and this intensifies the melting of the glaciers. Researchers have calculated that global sea levels would rise by more than seven meters if all of Greenland’s ice melted.
FEW PEOPLE, NO ROADS
Today in Greenland only the ice-free coastal belts are habitable. Mainly on the western coast, the climate is more suitable for living thanks to the current of the Gulf Stream. Most of the villages as well as the capital Nuuk are located here. It has 18.000 inhabitants and is the largest city in Greenland. A total of 56.000 inhabitants live on the island and the population density is the lowest in the world. Only the Arctic has fewer people than Greenland.
All over the island there are no roads and railways that could connect towns and villages. There are roads between the cities, but they end on the outskirts of the city. To get from one city to another, Greenlanders use planes, ships, helicopters, rafts or dog sleds. With climate change, something may change in Greenland as well. Less ice on this island also means more living space for people. The melting of ice releases important raw materials, which are protected: among others oil, rare minerals, natural gas and uranium. The hunt for such elements will soon begin. And the president-elect of the USA as a businessman has a strong sense of smell for such things.
