President Trump is turning into more and more fixated on the concept the USA ought to take over the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland.
Since his first time period, Trump has recommended buying the large icebound island, and he has ramped up his rhetoric on the matter in wake of the United State’s current operation to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He served because the nation’s president for 10 years earlier than he was captured alongside his spouse, Cillian Flores, and delivered to U.S. to face narco-terrorism costs.
Responding to questions in regards to the weekend army motion in Venezuela — and which nations danger an analogous destiny — Trump informed reporters that Greenland is “so strategic right now.” And White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the sentiment in an announcement launched on Tuesday.
“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” she stated. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”
Right here’s all the pieces you could know:
Why does Trump wish to purchase Greenland?
“We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” Trump informed reporters touring on Air Pressure One Sunday night time. “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”
A large island made up of roughly 836,000 sq. miles, Greenland sits off the northeastern coast of Canada, between the USA and Europe. It’s strategically located alongside what’s known as the GIUK hole, a maritime passage between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK that hyperlinks the Arctic to the Atlantic Ocean main into North America.
Its location has made it essential to the protection of North America since World Struggle II.
Pituffik House Base is pictured as Vice President JD Vance visits, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Greenland. (Jim Watson/Pool by way of AP)
What’s extra, Greenland is wealthy with oil and uncommon earth minerals, like neodymium and dysprosium, which can be utilized to make objects like smartphones, magnets and different applied sciences. It moreover has deposits of diamonds, graphite, lithium, copper, nickel and gallium.
It’s also dwelling to some 56,000 principally Inuit folks, a few third of whom are concentrated in Nuuk, the capital, with the remainder of its residents dwelling primarily on the island’s western coast..
Who runs Greenland now?
Greenland is a self-governing territory that has been a part of the Kingdom of Denmark for roughly 300 years. And whereas Denmark does handle its overseas coverage, the island territory has its personal prime minister and authorities to take care of its inner affairs.
In 1916, the USA formally acknowledged Danish pursuits in Greenland in trade for the Danish West Indies, which finally turned the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The USA does have already got a army base on Greenland, Pituffik House Base, which was constructed after the U.S. and Denmark signed the Protection of Greenland Treaty in 1951. It helps missile warning, missile protection and house surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO, in accordance with the USA Air Pressure.
Because it at present stands, Greenlanders have the best to carry a referendum on independence and Danish officers have stated it’s as much as the residents to resolve their destiny, per NATO.
How may Trump purchase Greenland?
Trump initially floated buying Greenland again in 2019, evaluating the transfer on the time to a “large real estate deal.” Whereas his supply was rejected outright, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday made an analogous suggestion, telling a choose group of lawmakers the USA continues to be trying to purchase. On Wednesday, he confirmed to reporters he has been discussing the matter with Trump since his first time period in workplace.
The White Home has additionally stated “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option,” although many Trump officers, together with Rubio, stated that step will seemingly not be obligatory.
A ship rides although a frozen sea inlet outdoors of Nuuk, Greenland, on March 6, 2025. (AP Photograph/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
The area doesn’t have its personal army and Denmark is primarily answerable for its protection. It additionally has restricted air and naval assist in place.
What does the remainder of the world suppose?
“Our country is not for sale,” stated Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who has repeatedly dismissed the USA’ intention to accumulate the island.
Earlier this week, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned {that a} U.S. takeover would set off the tip of NATO. The collective of countries was constructed on the premise that an assault on anybody in its ranks would warrant a response from all of them, staving off Russian advances for many years.
Frederiksen was joined on Wednesday by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK in issuing an announcement reaffirming that the strategic Arctic island “belongs to its people.”
“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” it stated.
A ballot final 12 months discovered 85% of the island’s residents opposed the concept of an American takeover.
Has the U.S. tried this earlier than?
The USA has mulled buying Greenland on a number of events all through historical past.
Vice President JD Vance and second girl Usha Vance tour the U.S. army’s Pituffik House Base in Greenland, March 28, 2025. (Jim Watson/Pool by way of AP, File)
In 1867, following the Civil Struggle and the USA’ buy of Alaska, then-President Andrew Johnson’s administration set its sights on the Arctic territories, together with Greenland. His secretary of state, William H. Seward, particularly recommended the U.S. try to accumulate each Greenland and Iceland.
In 1910, then-US Ambassador to Denmark, Maurice Francis Egan put a up comparable concept, suggesting the US commerce Denmark the Philippine island of Mindanao — a U.S. territory on the time — for Greenland and the Danish West Indies.
Former President Harry Truman additionally supplied Denmark $100 million in gold for the island. Denmark rejected the supply, which got here in 1946, shortly after World Struggle II.
The motorcade of Vice President JD Vance travels by means of Pituffik House Base throughout a tour, March 28, 2025, in Greenland. (Jim Watson/Pool by way of AP, File)
