AP
The United States wants to acquire the world’s largest island to bolster its military presence in the Arctic and reduce its dependence on China for rare earth minerals.
Greenland’s Inuit will benefit from joining the United States — at least, that’s what President-elect Donald Trump believes.
«Greenland is an incredible place; its people will benefit enormously if and when it becomes part of our country. My son, Donald Junior, and other representatives will go there to visit some truly magnificent places… We will protect and cherish it from a hostile outside world. Let’s make Greenland great again», he wrote on Truth Social.
On January 8, Don Jr. did indeed pay a one-day private visit to the island. He arrived at Nuuk airport, Greenland’s capital, aboard his father’s plane, accompanied by what may have been either business people or security personnel. No meetings with local authorities were scheduled. Trump’s son posed for photos against the backdrop of Greenland’s stunning scenery, made a brief stop at a few tourist attractions, and then departed. Inuit are still wondering: what was that all about?
Múte B. Egede, the Prime Minister of the island, which is part of Denmark but enjoys considerable autonomy, hastened to declare that Greenland «is not for sale and never will be». He also reiterated the indigenous people’s desire for complete independence from Copenhagen.
Mike Waltz, who will be Trump’s future National Security Adviser, was forced to make an official statement about the president-elect’s «Greenland dream», categorically rejecting any notion of forcibly seizing the island.
«It’s not just about Greenland. It’s about the Arctic. This is our national security; these are vital natural resources», he said.
In his view, the U.S. is losing ground in the region to Russia.
«There’s Russia, which is trying to be the king of the Arctic with over 60 icebreakers, some of them nuclear powered. You know how many we have? We have two icebreakers, and one just caught fire», Waltz added, also noting China’s growing economic interest in the polar bear realm.
The island has been on Trump’s mind since the spring of 2018, during his first term as president. At a reception, he reportedly told his aides that U.S. intelligence had «alerted» him: Denmark was having financial difficulties with its next subsidy payment to Greenland. Ever the businessman, he immediately thought he could pick up the mostly ice-covered territory for a bargain.
At that time, Greenland (as an autonomous territory) received 532 million euros in subsidies from Copenhagen annually, which covered 60% of its budget needs. Obviously, this put Denmark in a difficult position. So Trump enthusiastically asked his advisers, «What do you guys think about this? Would it work?»
Opinions were divided. Some aides thought the boss was kidding, that it was a joke or a “fleeting idea that would never come to fruition». Others saw it as entirely in keeping with the White House occupant’s character — he wanted to cement his legacy as a «land grabber». Securing Greenland for America would be huge — Trump’s lasting legacy for generations to come.
If successful, Washington would acquire more territory than it did with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Greenland, home to about 57,000 people (85–90% Inuit), covers 2,166,084 square kilometers, while the acquisition of French territory in North America in the early 19th century added 2,144,476 square kilometers to the United States.
Washington has tried to buy Greenland before. Denmark first received such a proposal in 1867. In 1946, President Harry Truman offered $100 million for the island. Copenhagen declined both times.
Trump’s continued focus on Greenland is no accident. The main reason is the island’s military-strategic location and his push to strengthen the U.S. military presence in the Arctic, where Russia is the main rival. Northern Greenland is home to the U.S.’s most important regional installation — Thule Air Base — which protects against a potential Russian missile strike across the ice.
The base is used extensively by the U.S. Air Force Space Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Established in the early 1950s under a Danish-American agreement, Thule is located 1,118 kilometers (694 miles) north of the Arctic Circle and 1,524 kilometers (947 miles) from the North Pole. It can accommodate up to 10,000 personnel. Beneath the ice are extensive tunnels that allow for the covert movement of missile equipment. The base houses an early warning radar station. During the Cold War, it housed strategic bombers armed with nuclear weapons. Today, some 1,500 military personnel serve there, helping to monitor the situation along the Northern Sea Route. Local residents are recruited as support personnel. A ten-year treaty between Denmark and the US grants the American military «virtually unlimited rights».
Economic considerations also fuel Washington’s interest, especially in light of its rivalry with China. Beijing could use its position as a leading supplier of rare earths as leverage in trade disputes. China is known to control 37% of the world’s rare earth reserves, accounts for 70% of global production, and handles about 90% of the processing of these minerals. They are essential to nearly every industry, forming the basis of a range of products from smartphones, cameras and speakers to electric cars and military jet engines. The U.S. imports up to 80% of these critical materials from China.
In theory, Greenland could be a lifesaver. According to preliminary estimates, 38.5 million tons of the world’s 120 million tons of rare earth oxide reserves lie beneath its surface. With the United States gaining unfettered access to these deposits and potentially establishing large-scale production of raw materials, China’s monopoly in this specialized market segment could be undermined.
The island also has substantial reserves of oil, gas, coal, copper, lead, and zinc. In Ivittuut, on the southernmost tip, cryolite is mined — a mineral crucial to the aluminum industry and the production of enamel. There are also unexplored gold deposits.
The Kvanefjeld uranium deposit, one of the largest in the world, is estimated to contain 228,000 tons of ore.
So Trump certainly knows what he’s after.
…Meanwhile, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced (just in case) that the Danish troop contingent on the island will be reinforced. Two additional patrol boats, two long-range drones, and two teams of sled dogs will be purchased. Tremble, Yankees!