Who Owns Greenland? Trump’s Proposal to Buy the Arctic Island
Who Owns Greenland? Trump’s Proposal to Buy the Arctic Island.
President-elect Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland has intensified with less than two weeks remaining before his inauguration. Concurrently, his son, Donald Trump Jr., is currently visiting the Arctic island.
Trump Jr. arrived in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, for a private visit on Tuesday, as his father continues to express enthusiasm for the resource-abundant territory.
The president-elect's aspirations to gain control of Greenland coincide with his expressed interest in the Panama Canal and his repeated references to Canada as “the 51st State.”
In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump stated, “Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”
Here are the key details to consider.
Who owns Greenland?
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has experienced a growing independence movement, as reported by Reuters. On January 3, Prime Minister Mute Egede of Greenland articulated his aspiration for the territory to gain independence from Denmark.
However, since Greenland remains a territory of Denmark, any hypothetical acquisition by the Trump administration would require the approval of the Danish government. On Tuesday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen unequivocally stated that Greenland is not available for purchase.
In a televised interview, Frederiksen emphasized that there is significant support among the Greenlandic populace for the notion that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future.
Trump isn’t the first US President who wanted to buy Greenland
Trump is not the first president to express interest in acquiring the Arctic island. The earliest documented instance of an American president seeking to purchase the island dates back to 1867, when President Andrew Johnson acquired Alaska.
Following the acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire, Johnson's administration explored the possibility of purchasing both Greenland and Iceland for $5.5 million in gold, as reported by the Journal of American History.
More than fifty years later, in 1910, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Maurice Francis Egan proposed a trade involving two islands in the Philippines in exchange for Greenland, at a time when the Philippines were under American governance.
In 1946, President Harry Truman attempted to negotiate the purchase of the island from Denmark for $100 million in gold bullion, asserting that the island was a "military necessity," according to NPR.
Is Trump looking to take over more than just Greenland?
Trump has recently garnered attention by not dismissing the possibility of utilizing the U.S. military to secure both Greenland and the Panama Canal.
"I cannot guarantee either of those two options. However, I can assert that we require them for our economic security. The Panama Canal was constructed for our military purposes," Trump stated during a press conference held at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
In addition to his interest in Greenland, Trump has also expressed a desire to regain control of the Panama Canal, which has been under Panamanian administration since 1999, following an agreement facilitated by the late President Jimmy Carter over two decades ago.
Furthermore, Canada has caught the attention of the President-elect, as Trump has proposed the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States.
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!,” Trump said in a post on social media.
Despite Donald Trump’s continued interest in acquiring Greenland, his efforts face strong opposition from both Denmark and the Greenlandic people, who have made it clear that the island is not for sale. The repeated attempts by U.S. presidents to purchase Greenland highlight a long-standing desire for control over the resource-rich territory, but these proposals seem increasingly unrealistic and out of touch with modern international relations.
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Furthermore, Trump’s broader ambitions, such as regaining control of the Panama Canal and integrating Canada into the U.S., risk alienating global allies and could undermine the U.S.’s diplomatic standing on the world stage.
