Greenland, the world’s most vast island, faces political turmoil as the U.S. maneuvers to seize control of Greenland’s sovereignty. Notable for its icy tundras and glaciers, Greenland dwells in the North Atlantic Ocean. Although the territory resides under the control of Denmark, it has maintained its own government and affairs since 1979.
In 2019, during his first term as president, President Donald Trump began to express an interest in acquiring Greenland to add to the list of U.S. territories. Trump presently continues to claim that gaining Greenland would aid national security and global freedom, deeming it an absolute necessity. Notably, Greenland remains home to the eighth-largest supply of rare earth metals, used in industries to produce various technologies such as smartphones, weapons, wind turbines and cars. Access to Greenland would allow the U.S. to monopolize its invaluable resources, ensuring substantial wealth.
In an interview with National Broadcasting Company News (NBC), Trump expressed that to gain these assets, he refuses to rule out military force to acquire Greenland, sparking global tension. Ironically, the U.S. could already gain access to Greenlandic resources — the Netherlands and the Greenland government previously extended offers of partnership and investments. However, Trump rejects any notions of ownership.
Moreover, China previously established a desire to control Greenland. While China remains the top producer of rare earth minerals, access to Greenlandic materials would expand their wealth and allow them to establish a Polar Silk Road (PSR) through the Arctic Ocean, connecting Europe and East Asia. If the U.S. bought Greenland, China would lose access to such materials and plans. Similarly, Russia would remain blocked off from the Arctic region, despite its growing military occupancy surrounding and within the country. Thus, a U.S. reign over Greenland would establish a powerful arctic presence and ensure unbeatable access to rich resources.
In addition to rare earth assets, Greenland holds significant military importance. The arctic country remains home to the Pituffik Space Base, previously named the Thule Air Base, which exists as a U.S. military center vital in missile surveillance, space observation and defense. Greenland historically served as a strategic wartime choke point in the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom Gap (GIUK Gap). Presently, the GIUK Gap serves to regulate Russian naval activities. Ultimately, Greenlandic ownership would ensure first-hand access to military advantages.
In response to Trump’s advances, Greenland remains firm in its stance to exist independently from the U.S. After a speech to Congress, in which Trump stated he would undoubtedly gain the region, Greenland prime minister, Mute Bourup Egede, issued a post on Facebook in which he stated that “Greenland is ours,” and “will never be for sale,” while establishing that they remain open for global trade and cooperation.
84% of Greenlandic people desire independence from Denmark, but 45% would rather remain semiautonomous if separation from Denmark would negatively impact their quality of life. Only 6% of the Greenland population wishes to remain under Danish rule. Thus, the majority of Greenland’s citizens do not desire an external country to regulate them. This supports the notion that Greenland, despite Trump’s determination, opposes the U.S.’s attempts to buy and control the country.
“I think the annexation [of Greenland] is really not necessary; the U.S.] should focus on more important problems. If I were a Greenlandic person, I would be offended. What makes anyone think that they want to be controlled by another country? Trump should leave Greenland alone,” junior Maria Casanova said.
While the fate of Greenland remains undecided, both the Greenlandic desire for freedom and Trump’s aspirations to control the icy nation remain strong. The U.S.’s militant pursuit of rich earth resources and strategic military locations directly clash with the wishes of the native people, government and surrounding countries who also wish to gain access to Greenland’s assets. Ultimately, the future depends highly upon the balance of these competing forces and the successful pursuit of international cooperation.
“When people profit from the destruction of the environment, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to regulate the industry to protect the environment—and the people who live in it. Citizens do not have large, financially backed lobbyist groups writing legislation for congressional reps on our behalf. [For Americans to better understand Greenlandic citizens, they should] listen to the people who live there. Let them tell you their stories. Look for books written by Greenlanders,” Advanced Placement (AP) Seminar, AP English Language and Composition and multicultural literature teacher Dr. Krista Wilson said.
