LOS ANGELES.–Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede said Friday he would welcome meeting wIth 78-year-old President-elect Donald Trump to discuss the relationship of Greenland to the United States. Trump said Greenland is the utmost national security importance to the U.S. considering that if 72-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to seize Greenland tomorrow, nothing could stop it. Trump said it was an “absolute necessity,” for the U.S. to have control over Greenland. Asked if Egede has talked to Trump or any of his advisers, he said “No, but we are ready to talk,” meaning that maybe he’s considering the fact that Denmark cannot assure that Greenland would remain free from a Russian attack. If Ukraine battles the Kremlin at great loss of life and property, what would stop Putin from seizing the Arctic territory under under U.S. security protection?
When Trump raised the idea of the U.S. taking control of Greenland, the fake news went wild, slamming Trump for an imperialistic approach to U.S. foreign policy. Fake news supports the Ukraine War because of fear that Putin could seize more European territory at any time. Why does the fake news condemn Trump for wanting to protect Greenland but backs 82-year-old President Joe Biden’s proxy war in Ukraine with the Kremlin? Where’s the consistency in the fake news? Does the fake news only oppose Trump because they’re sworn toward resistance for the Democrat Party? How can the public trust the press to report accurately when they backed 60-year-old Kamala’s Harris’s failed campaign. What does the mainstream press think the public thinks of them now?
Trump’s statements about acquiring Greenland was met with disdain by the press, a kind of “how dare him” attitude, not thinking that maybe it would be best for Greenland to have U.S. security guarantees but, more importantly, the business opportunity to support industry and jobs on the largest island in the Arctic Circle. Egede no longer talks about Trump’s disrespect for Greenland’s autonomy but for what the United States could do to make Greenland more secure and prosperous. Whatever Denmark’s King Frederik X thinks about U.S. control of Greenland, he knows that Denmark is in no military state to defend Greenland from a Russian takeover. Trump could potentially work out a deal where Greenland becomes no necessarily as U.S. state but an Island protectorate, much like Puerto Rico, American Samoa or Guam. Greenland’s leaders are starting to think twice.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said he too wants a meeting with Trump to discuss his interest in taking charge of Greenland. U.S. has the Thule Air base in Greenland’s Northwest coast since WW II. U.S. Space Force has an interest Pituffik Space Base, recognizing the strategic importance of U.S. missile defense. If Denmark can receive a sizable payment for Greenland, why wouldn’t they want to get the 57,000 citizen colony of its hands, only draining the Danish State? Most of Greenland’s inhabitants are not Danish origin but Inuit, an Arctic Circle tribe of native peoples. Since 2009. Greenland has been self-government independent country from Denmark, established as colony in 1953. Judging by its largely Inuit population, there’s little interest from Denmark’s population in settling in Greenland, home to one of the world’s largest ice sheets.
Greenland wants to remain independent but at the same time knows it cannot support its own population with current industry and jobs. Since 1867, the U.S. has a lot of experience dealing with the Inuit population in Alaska, a ground that’s blended well with U.S. settlers, looking to make a life in the rugged Arctic frontier. “We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the master of our own house . . . This is something everyone should respect,” said Egede, not ruling out some kind of arrangement that would benefit both countries. Putin said recently that he’s had his eyes on Greenland for some time, prompting Egede to take a second look at Trump’s proposals. Denmark could not stop a Russian invasion so joining the U.S. in some capacity would only make sense. Egede should ignore the Trump-hating media that exaggerate only the negative.
Denmark knows that the U.S. is its biggest trading partner, part of the NATO Transatlantic mutual defense shield. Greenland doesn’t have NATO membership, leaving it vulnerable to any attack by the Russian Federation. If Biden thought the U.S. should spend billions defending Ukraine because a possible Russian advance on Europe, Trump certainly can make the case that Greenland would be far better off with official protection from the United States. Greenland could be a territory of the U.S. while, simultaneously, recognizing its independence. But with the geopolitical environmental less stable, you’d think that Copenhagen and Nuuk would be amenable to joining a defense alliance with the United States. “But that doesn’t mean were are cutting all ties, all cooperation and all relations with Denmark,” said Egede, look forward to meeting with Trump.
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.
