WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would not rule out using military or economic action to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump said he would consider imposing tariffs on Denmark "at a very high level" if it resisted his offer to acquire the territory.
Trump used to raise the issue of the United States taking over Greenland during his first presidency, and his renewed interest has sparked discussions worldwide about the island's strategic importance, its historical ties with Denmark and previous U.S. attempts to purchase the territory.
WHY DOES TRUMP WANT GREENLAND?
Greenland, the world's largest island with a population of around 60,000, was a Danish colony until it became an integral part of Denmark, with Greenlanders granted Danish citizenship in 1953.
In 1979, Greenland was granted home rule, allowing for greater self-governance while remaining a territory of Denmark, with Copenhagen exercising control over its foreign and defense policy.
The Act on Greenland Self-Government was enacted in 2009, granting further autonomy and recognizing Greenlanders as a distinct people under international law. This agreement allowed Greenland control over its resources and paved the way for potential future independence through a referendum.
Greenland's location in the Arctic Circle makes it a crucial player in the region, especially as climate change opens new shipping routes and access to untapped natural resources.
Its strategic position is vital for military operations, particularly for monitoring Arctic airspace.
What might be even more appealing to Trump, however, is Greenland's rich deposits of natural resources, said Klaus Dodds, professor of geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London.
The island is rich in minerals, including oil, gas and rare earth elements essential for modern technologies. According to the European Commission in 2023, 25 of the 34 strategically important materials for the EU can be found in Greenland.
HISTORY OF ANNEXATION ATTEMPTS
"Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation," Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social on Monday.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr., Trump's eldest son, visited Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, describing the trip as a private visit for tourism purposes. "We are just here as tourists, to see it all," he told reporters, declining to comment on broader American interest in Greenland.
However, his father, Trump, expressed a different tone when mentioning the visit in a Truth Social post. "Don Jr. and my Reps landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need safety, security, and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!"
Trump's fascination with Greenland dates back to his first presidential term. He likened buying Greenland to "a large real estate deal."
His 2019 offer to buy the island was firmly rejected by Denmark, and labelled as "absurd" by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
The United States has a history of interest in Greenland due to its strategic location and abundant natural resources.
In 1867, then U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward, who orchestrated the purchase of Alaska, also considered acquiring Greenland and Iceland. Later, in 1946, then U.S. President Harry Truman offered Denmark 100 million U.S. dollars in gold for Greenland, aiming to enhance U.S. security during the early stages of the Cold War.
Denmark declined the offer, but the United States has been maintaining a permanent presence in Greenland by establishing the Pituffik air base in the island's northwest.
REACTIONS FROM PARTIES INVOLVED
Five years after rejecting Trump's Arctic ambitions, Frederiksen reiterated that Greenland's future rests solely in the hands of its residents. "Greenland has made it clear that it is not for sale," she said.
Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede voiced a similar sentiment. "Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. Our future is ours to shape," he posted on Facebook.
Trouw, a Dutch newspaper, warned of potential North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) complications if the United States pursued military action against Denmark, a fellow member of the military alliance.
Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday in Paris during a press conference with France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot that Trump's intention to take over Greenland "is not going to happen."
"The idea expressed about Greenland is obviously not a good one. But maybe more important, it's obviously one that's not going to happen," Blinken said. "So we probably shouldn't waste a lot of time talking about it."
Speaking to France Inter radio on Wednesday, Barrot noted that Greenland is a "territory of the European Union and of Europe."
"There is undoubtedly no way that the European Union would let other nations of the world, whoever they are, attack its sovereign borders," he said.
He also warned of the resurgence of "might makes right" policies, calling on Europe to bolster its strength. ■
