LOS ANGELES (OC).–Heading to the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland, 79-year-old President Donald Trump finds himself under the gun, with EU leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron threatening to use the “trade bazooka” against the United States. Trump warned EU leaders opposing his desire to buy Greenland they face 10% more in U.S. duties if they don’t back his plan to buy Greenland from Denmark. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederrik Nielsen oppose any sale of Greenland to the United States, stating emphatically they wish to keep the current arrangement. Trump has been insistent that Denmark wake up to the realities of the world today, especially in the Arctic, where countries compete for valuable natural resources including petroleum and rare earch minerals needed in advanced electronics.
Macron has worked behind the scenes with his EU colleagues to sabotage Trump on his peace deal in Ukraine and, more recently, on his desire to buy Greenland. Denmark spends about $500 million a year on Greenland, always straining Denmark’s budget but, more importantly, preventing Greenland from any economic development. Greenland’s 57,000 population live meagerly because there’s so little investment in the world’s largest Arctic island. Trump contends without dispute that the U.S. could invest billions in Greenland’s economic development and security, creating opportunity for its largely Arctic native population. U.S. has plenty of experience in Alaska for the last 150 years managing the region’s native population, giving them more opportunities for a better standard of living through tourism and economic development.
Opposition to the U.S. buying Greenland makes no sense because the U.S. offers Denmark and Greenland a big opportunity with both countries standing to gain from the transaction. Yet Macron and other EU leaders act like U.S. ownership would be like a communist takeover or dictatorship. How preposterous of the EU to see Trump’s offers as anything but positive for Denmark, Greenland and the EU. Macron insists that Russian President Vladimir Putin has his eyes on taking more European territory if Ukraine does not win its war with the Kremlin. Macron knows, like other EU leaders, that Ukraine is in shambles after four years of war with the Kremlin. Giving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 100 billion euros over the next two years only prolongs the war, causing more carnage and destruction plus a loss of more sovereign territory.
So, if Macron and other EU leaders are so concerned about Russia, why do they treat Trump and the U.S. like a hostile power in the region? EU leaders can’t have it both ways, looking to the U.S. for post-war security and, at the same time, opposing Trump’s efforts to buy and rule Greenland? “As I expressed to everyone, very plainly, Greenland is imperitive for National and World Security. Three can be no going back—Only that, everyone agrees! The United States of America is the most powerful Country anywhere on the Globe, by far,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. He wants the EU to back his plan to buy Greenland from Denmark and run the country. No one thinks that Greenland would be worse off letting the U.S. make a substantial investment in the Arctic island, improving the economy and standard of living for all inhabitants.
Democrats and the fake news cited a letter Trump wrote to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, taking completely out of context his message. “Considering your Country decided not to give the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace,” Trump said in a letter. Trump knows that the Norway government has nothing to do with the Nobel committee’s selection. But Trump refers to the sabotage by Macron and other EU leaders to end the Ukraine War. Zelensky complains about ongoing Russian attacks but does nothing with the EU to end the war. Trump has worked in overdrive for months on a workable, realistic and practical peace plan designed for a lasting peace. EU leaders worked on a post-war peace plan involving NATO troops in Ukraine completely unacceptable to the Kremlin.
Trump has no idea the degree of sabotage on his Ukraine peace plan from Zelensky and the EU. Why would Zelensky oppose Trump’s peace plan that finally settles the conflict, stopping the carnage and destruction to his country? Zelensky wants all the euros he can get from the EU to keep the war going indefinitely. He currently runs his bankrupt Kiev government on borrowed euros he has no intention of paying back. But there’s just no excuse for the EU to oppose Trump’s peace plan or desire to buy Greenland from Demark. Under U.S. ownership, Greenland would finally get the cash infusion needed to develop its tourism industry, and, at the same time, have the security needed to prosper in the future. Under the current arrangement with Denmark footing the bills, Greenland and its 57,000 people stagnate. U.S. ownership would open up new doors to security and prosperity.
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.
