In 2019, when Donald Trump floated the idea of purchasing the autonomous territory of Greenland many pundits laughed it off as another absurd Trumpian idea. Little did these pompous talking-heads realize that idea could soon become a reality, and one of Trump’s greatest geo-political achievements.
On Tuesday, “Trump Force One” touched down at Nuuk International Airport in the autonomous territory of Greenland, which is actually not a country, but rather part of the Kingdom of Denmark. President-elect Trump himself was not on the plane, however his son Donald Trump Jr, as well as conservative influencer Charlie Kirk were. Trump Jr was greeted by several friendly Greenlanders as he overlooked the icy vistas of the thinly-populated land. Liberal pundits scoffed at the scene, however Trump Jr’s visit signifies the incoming administration’s seriousness when it comes to acquiring the territory.
This begs the question, why does Trump covet this icy tundra and can he obtain it? The latter remains to be seen, however Trump’s desire to acquire this land is not at all unfounded. Firstly, Greenland is located in the Arctic region, which holds geopolitical significance due to its proximity to Europe and Russia. Additionally, the Arctic region is seen as increasingly important on the global scale as it is home to valuable shipping routes.
Moreover, Greenland is rich in natural resources, including rare earth minerals and oil and gas. Securing these resources would provide economic and energy security benefits for the US. Ultimately, Denmark has thus far rejected the idea of selling Greenland, however at a Tuesday press conference at Mar-A-Lago, president-elect Trump said he could not rule it out when asked if he would use “military or economic coercion” to acquire Greenland.
It remains to be seen what will happen, but the acquisition of Greenland would certainly be one of Trump’s greatest geo-political achievements.