Wants to buy Greenland

Why Donald Trump’s dream could come true

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/AFP/Ting Shen, APA/Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Marie Odgaard)

The EU states are indignant, the Greenlandic and Danish governments emphasize: "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, no one else." However, it is not impossible that Trump's dream of gaining control of Europe's largest island could still come true.

As absurd as the future US president's claim to Greenland, and therefore probably soon the USA's, may seem at first glance, it is not. A look at the history books shows that the United States has already made several attempts to gain control of the strategically important island. As early as 1867, when the USA bought Alaska from the Russian Empire, Washington considered making Denmark an offer for Greenland and Iceland. In 1910, the Danish side considered a double exchange of Greenland with the USA and Germany in order to gain Schleswig. (The northern part of it became part of Denmark after the First World War anyway). 

First US purchase offer after the Second World War
After the USA had occupied Greenland during the Second World War with the agreement of the Danish government, the USA offered to buy Greenland from Denmark for 100 million dollars (approx. 100 billion in today's currency) in 1946. Although the negotiations came to nothing, the USA maintained a strong military presence on Greenland during the Cold War. In 1951, the two countries signed a treaty granting the USA jurisdiction over the military bases it had established on the island.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Greenland temporarily lost its central military importance for the USA. In 2004, the USA was left with only the Thule Airbase in the northwest of the island, which was established in 1953. It has officially been called Pituffik Space Base since 2023. In 2020, one year after Trump's first purchase offer, the USA reopened a consulate in Nuuk that had been closed in 1953. 

The Pituffik Airbase is used by the Americans to monitor rocket launches and space activities in the northern hemisphere.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix/Thomas Traasdahl)

The USA's interest in Greenland is nothing new, nor is it the brainchild of a single president. In addition to the strategic position of Greenland, which has once again become imminent due to the territorial and economic ambitions of Russia and China, the exploitation of natural resources already found and suspected on the island, which is becoming increasingly realistic not least due to climate change, has become the focus of interest. Greenland is home to significant deposits of rare earths and uranium. 

Independence efforts as an opportunity for Trump?
The current Greenlandic government under Mute Egede is striving for independence from Denmark. With an annual subsidy of currently 4.3 billion kroner (around 576 million euros), Denmark contributes around half of Greenland's total state revenue. In addition, Denmark spends a further billion on its remaining competencies (foreign policy and security) for Greenland. Despite a recent increase in income from tourism, it would be difficult to finance the independence of the island nation, which is largely dependent on fishing, without outside help. 

The USA and Donald Trump are also aware of this. The latter recently made it clear that he wants to incorporate Greenland into the USA, and not just because of its strategic importance. "We need them (the Greenlanders) for our economic security," said Trump in one of his speeches at the beginning of January. It is obvious that this can only mean the island's huge mineral resources, especially the highly coveted rare earths. The parliamentary elections and a referendum on Greenland's independence, which may take place at the same time, could therefore already set the course for whether Greenland will remain in an "imperial community" with Denmark, including its financial support, for the time being, which is not loved by everyone, or whether the path to independence will open up another option for Donald Trump to get the island under US control in one way or another.

This Greenlander really wanted to take a selfie with Donald Trump Jr.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix/Emil Stach)

Fuss about videos of Trump fans in Greenland
A few days ago, Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland and also encountered supporters of his father who spoke out on camera in favor of annexation to the USA (see below). The footage, which was distributed via Trump's Truth Social platform, caused a stir. The Danish media have identified a staging. Several sources told the radio station DR that the videos show, among other things, several homeless people and other socially disadvantaged people who are often seen outside a supermarket next to the hotel. 

"These are homeless and old people who can suddenly eat in a restaurant they've never been to before," a long-time resident of the capital Nuuk was quoted as saying by the broadcaster. To be there, all they had to do was put on "Make America Great Again" caps and participate in the Trump staffers' videos. "They are being bribed, and that is in extremely poor taste," he said. 

Homeless people bribed with food?
Videos from the newspaper "Ekstra Bladet" also showed how people on the street were approached by Trump employees and given "maga" caps. They show, among others, an elderly woman wearing such a cap who did not even know the name of the person she was supposed to eat with - Trump Jr. She simply went along, she said. An avowed fan of the US president-elect, who showed his son around the Greenlandic capital Nuuk, denied to DR that the people had been "recruited" outside the supermarket. Rather, they had stood outside the hotel themselves and shown interest.