Trump Administration Considering Options to Acquire Greenland

The Trump administration has confirmed that they are considering different options to acquire Greenland from Denmark, and they have not ruled out the use of military to achieve their goal.

The administration stated that acquiring Greenland is one of their most crucial priorities, particularly due to its location and natural resources. Due to environmental concerns, Denmark has not taken advantage of Greenland's treasure trove of materials, which includes rare earth elements, zinc, gold, iron ore, copper, uranium, and titanium, along with billions of barrels of oil and at least 148 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Meanwhile, Greenland's proximity to Russia via the Arctic Circle would give the United States a decisive advantage against their enemies in Asia. However, developing the massive, icy territory would require billions of dollars of investment due to the frigid temperatures and currently uninhabitable terrain.

Nevertheless, Trump has asserted that he wants to acquire Greenland, whichever way possible. Greenland has long been a self-governing autonomous territory of Denmark, but they maintain a clause in their agreements with the European country that allows them to hold a referendum for independence at any point in time. A lack of economic self-sufficiency has prevented them from taking this action, though, as Greenland does not have the infrastructure or governmental strength to be an independent country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced earlier in the week that the administration was contemplating the possibility of buying Greenland from Denmark, while press secretary Karoline Leavitt expressed the United States' ability to use their military to take control as another option. Other Trump-appointed officials expressed questions over Denmark's true right to the territory and encouraged Trump to move forward with the idea, but maintained that any sort of invasion or military intervention is unlikely at this time.

On the other hand, numerous Democrats – and even several Republicans – strongly opposed Trump's agenda, calling on Congress to "stop him before he invades another country" and telling Trump to "stop the 'we want Greenland BS.'"

This was followed, though, by announcements from various European countries and Canada, who reiterated their support for Denmark and encouraged the United States to collaborate with Europe to ensure security of the Arctic Circle. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a US attack on Greenland would end NATO, weakening the western world and making them all more vulnerable to attacks from powers like Russia and China.

Additionally, reports have found that the people of Greenland have already expressed disinterest in joining the United States. When US Vice President JD Vance traveled to Greenland in March of last year, locals strongly resisted his arrival, labeling it as a completely unwelcome show of power– they did not invite the delegation, neither did they want them to be there. Vance and other officials attempted to meet local residents and take part in cultural activities, but most Greenlanders did not want to meet the delegation at all.

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Image credit to Guide to Greenland