Trump’s Bid to Annex Greenland Raises Concerns and Uncertainty
US President-elect Donald Trump has made a bold move to annex Greenland, a Danish overseas territory, in a bid to expand the US influence in the Western Hemisphere and cement his legacy.
Trump’s statement, made on Tuesday, has left his European allies in a state of shock, particularly in a time of increasing global instability, when border security is a top concern.
Germany and France have warned Trump against using force to annex Greenland, after he refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the autonomous territory.
While Trump previously considered the possibility of buying Greenland, his recent statements suggest that his desire is a deeply rooted ambition, not a fleeting fantasy. A person familiar with Trump’s internal discussions told Reuters that Trump is unlikely to use military force to gain control over Greenland, but he is serious about using other means, such as diplomatic or economic pressure on Denmark, to acquire the world’s largest island, which is not a continent.
Trump has portrayed the potential takeover of Greenland as a matter of national security.
Denmark has responded to Trump’s statements, saying that Greenland is not for sale. Denmark has controlled Greenland for centuries, although the 57,000 inhabitants of Greenland have been self-governing for a long time.
Trump’s advisors expect a shift in the US’s foreign policy focus, with a greater emphasis on the American continent under a new Trump administration. Trump is wary of Chinese and Russian influence in the region, which he largely views as America’s backyard, according to two Trump advisors involved in planning Latin America policy.
Three current and former Trump employees familiar with his deliberations said Trump is also interested in territorial expansion to create a lasting legacy, remembered for generations to come.
Trump has recently discussed the takeover of Greenland, the Panama Canal, and the admission of Canada into the US in public.
The US aims to counter Russian influence in the Arctic, which has become a hotspot of great power competition.
Greenland, with its valuable oil, gas, and mineral reserves, and its proximity to the Arctic shipping routes, is of significant interest to US politicians, who have been increasingly concerned in recent years as Russia and China seek to expand their influence in the Arctic region.
As a NATO member through Denmark, Greenland has strategic importance for the US military and its early warning system for ballistic missiles, as the shortest route from Europe to North America passes through the Arctic island, where the northernmost US military base is located.
It is unclear how Trump would annex Greenland. The island was a Danish colony until 1953 and is now a self-governing territory of the kingdom. Since 2009, Greenland has the right to declare independence through a referendum, and if this were to happen, it could choose to associate with the US, possibly through an association agreement like those with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau in the Pacific.