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New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has again voiced his intent on claiming Greenland as part of the United States, saying that they must “have” it for national security reasons. This time he has taken this demand a step further, appointing a special envoy, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, to “lead the charge” on advancing US interests in Greenland.
Trump described Greenland as “essential” to U.S. defence, insisting it is needed not for minerals but to counter the growing influence of China and Russia in the region. These comments have drawn sharp diplomatic protests from both Copenhagen and Nuuk.
Trump’s fascination with Greenland is not new. During his first presidential term, he famously floated buying the island from Denmark, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by Danish leaders as “not for sale.”
Just weeks before his inauguration as the President of the United States for the second time, Donald Trump talked about his intention to make Canada the 51st state of the US, retake the Panama Canal and also acquire Greenland from Denmark. When it comes to Greenland, Trump has repeatedly reiterated versions of this idea. From suggesting he might not rule out using force or economic pressure to gain control, to forgoing the mention of the idea for long periods of time, Trump has now come back to the idea forcibly.
Greenland’s importance to the United States is rooted in geopolitics, defence, and geography. Lying between North America and Europe, it is strategically very important for the US. It has the ability to host vital early-warning systems and long-range radar sites for the US. The United States already operates the Pituffik Space Base under a longstanding agreement with Denmark which is essential in terms of such surveillance techniques.
Another major reason that Trump too iterates is the current geopolitical dynamic in the Arctic dynamics makes it pivotal for the US to step up its presence and influence in the region. The major threats in this regard come from Russia and China, both of which have increased their presence in the region. Finally comes the natural resources, ample of valuable minerals like rare earths and uranium which could boost any economy, including that of the US.
Despite Trump’s insistence, and an earlier US attempt to buy Greenland, it is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, with control over domestic affairs but not foreign policy or defence. Both governments, that of Greenland and Denmark, have emphatically rejected any attempt to transfer sovereignty to the US.
