LOS ANGELES.–President-elect Donald Trump thrilled MAGA supporters with talk of buying Greenland, home to the Thule Air Base, a key missile defense installation designed to intercept any ballistic missiles fired from Russia toward the United States. Whether Greenland is for sale or not, Trump raised the issue because Denmark’s Monarchy currently claims sovereignty of the strategic island, a strategic bridge between North America and Europe. “We’re going to treat you well,” Trump said. When it comes to history, there are a lot of parallels to Alaska where the United State under Andrew Johnson and his Secretary of State William Seward purchased Alaska im 1867 from the Russian Czar for $7.2 million. Trump would like to be so lucky to strike a deal for Greenland which would be equally beneficial to the United States in terms of potential mineral deposits and strategic geography.
Trump’s 47-year-old son Donald Trump Jr. led an unofficial delegation to Greenland to film a podcast. One of Trump’s private jets landed in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, to get a read from the Greenland people their views of the United States. “Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland, “Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The reception has been great. They are the Free World, need safety, security, strength, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN,” Trump’s supporters. Greenland’s government said Donald Trump Jr.’s visit was as a private citizen, not an official visit. Mininquaq Kleinst, permanent secretary of the ministry of statehood and foreign affairs, said Trump Jr. would stay for about four hours but did not request an official visit. “Greenland is not for sale,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen,” said Tuesday.
Frederiksen said the future of Greenland would be decided by Greenland’s 56,000 population, most of whom Inuit natives, much like the population of Alaska. Frederiksen found it offensive that Trump would express interest in buying Greenland, something important to Demark’s 5.9 million population. Judging by Greenland’s small population, there’s been little interest in migrating Danish people to the large island in the Arctic Circle. Most of Greenland’s land mass is covered by a glacial ice sheet, still in existence despite all the worries of climate change’s melting glaciers and ice sheets. About 80% of Greenland is covered by ice sheets making inhabiting the strategic island more difficult. Greenland’s indigenous population wants independence from Denmark, showing no interest in joining the U.S. as a 51st state. Alaska became the 49th state Jan. 3, 1959.
When you look at the 150 years history in Alaska, the Inuit people have benefited greatly by the U.S. presence, creating industry and jobs to employ the indigenous population. Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede called in New Year’s speech for Greenland to seek independence from Denmark to shake off its colonial past. Like Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen, Egede said Greenland is not for sale and has no interest in becoming part of the United States. Egede could be made to see the benefits of joining the U.S. as a territory like Puerto Rico, even if it falls short of statehood. Greenland’s 56,000 population would greatly benefit, as Alaskan natives, from U.S. territory or statehood. “Most people don’t want it,” said Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenland member of the Danish parliament. Chemnitz has no poll or survey to support her contention.
Denmark’s King Frederik X claims sovereignty over Greenland and the Faroe Islands, an archipelago between Greenland and Norway. “We are all united and each of us committed for the Kingdom of Denmark,” the King said in New Years address, obliquely rebuking Trump for suggesting he would like the United States to purchase Greenland. If Russia decided today to invade Greenland, there’s little King Frederik could do to stop it. If you listen to 82-year-old President Joe Biden, 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin is hell-bent to taking over more European countries and their territories. Denmark could not defend itself from a Russian invasion, let alone Greenland. So, the idea of Greenland for its future being under U.S. protection would only benefit the Greenland people. All the talk of independence does nothing to increase industry, jobs and prosperity.
Chemnitz is wrong that the Greenland people find it insulting that Trump would like to bring prosperity and a brighter future to Greenland. “I think some people find it quite disrespectful. And the way it has been done, and just the fact that you’re saying that you can buy another country,” Chemnitz said, clearly not speaking for all of Greenland. Chemnitz and other Danish or Greenland politicians they should consider what’s best for Denmark and the 56,000 Greenland residents struggling to develop enough industry and jobs to sustain its population. “For purpose of national security and freedom thorough the world, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity, “Trump wrote on Truth Social. Whether that offends Denmark or Greenland separatists, there’s no question native Alaskans benefit from U.S. statehood.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
