An exploration of the potential benefits and challenges of the US purchasing Greenland from Denmark.
President-elect Donald Trump is not planning a military invasion of Greenland , nor should he. However, he does actually make sense when he suggests that the U.S. should look into buying Greenland from Denmark . Trump and Congress should examine whether it would be worthwhile to offer to buy it from Denmark for an appropriate price. U.S. purchases of territory have a long and beneficial history. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 doubled the nation’s territory in one fell swoop.
The 1819 Florida Purchase, the 1848 Mexican Cession, the 1853 Gadsden Purchase, and the 1867 Alaska Purchase all proved to be wise moves for the U.S. while bringing beneficent government to those lands. And the U.S. even has a history of buying from Denmark itself, in the $25 million purchase of what would become the Virgin Islands in 1917. As for Greenland, it would be of more use to the U.S. than it is to tiny Denmark. Its land mass of 836,000 square miles, bigger than Alaska and California combined, dwarfs Denmark’s own, making it almost unmanageable for the Danes long term. And its strategic military benefits to Denmark are virtually nil because Denmark will not be a major player in “great power” competition regardless. For the U.S., though, and for world peace and freedom, a purchase of Greenland could be a great boon. Indeed, twice before, in 1867 and 1946, U.S. officials seriously considered buying the huge island. The U.S. already operates a long-standing military facility there, the Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as the Thule Air Base), which conducts important satellite operations and keeps tabs on any Russian missile launch, which assuredly would cross over the Arctic rather than travel a longer course over Western Europe and the broad Atlantic Ocean. That base is in the northwest of the island, but the southern part of Greenland, which the U.S. right now does not control, oversees the passage of important shipping lanes in the North Atlantic. Moreover, as both Russia and China evince interest in claiming large parts of, or the entirety of, the Arctic Ocean as their own, with interest in snatching its oil and minerals, the U.S. would be well advised to bracket the ocean with Greenland on one side to go with Alaska on the other. The Arctic contains an estimated 13% of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30% of its undiscovered natural gas, along with diamonds, iron ore, nickel, copper, and zinc. And Greenland itself is full of those riches, ones Denmark may not have the wherewithal to develop but the U.S. does, and it also boasts tremendously productive fisheries. The U.S. in turn has more resources than Denmark to provide superb environmental protections for the large interior of Greenland and to do worthwhile environmental research there.If the U.S. did purchase the huge island, the island’s 56,000 residents could enjoy territorial status in much the same way as the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico — or, perhaps, the island could be added to the state of Maine, thus affording its residents full representation in Congress. Either way, a U.S. absorption of Greenland could make great sense. Denmark may not want to let it go, but perhaps the U.S. could offer a price worth considering
Greenland USA Denmark Arctic Military Resources Politics Economy
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Trump Jr. Visits Greenland, Sparks 'Buy Greenland' TalkFormer President Donald Trump has expressed interest in the United States acquiring Greenland, with his son Donald Trump Jr. visiting the territory. Trump Jr.'s visit has sparked discussions about Greenland's potential independence from Denmark, with a Greenland resident expressing a desire to be bought by the US. The elder Trump has hailed Greenland as an 'incredible place' and emphasized the strategic importance of the territory for national security and freedom.
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Trump Renews Interest in Buying GreenlandPresident-elect Donald Trump has announced his renewed interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory belonging to Denmark. Trump stated that Greenland's control is 'an absolute necessity' for national security and global freedom. Greenland's prime minister has rejected Trump's proposal, affirming that Greenland is not for sale. This is not the first time Trump has expressed interest in purchasing Greenland. During his first term, he made several attempts to explore the possibility, but was ultimately met with resistance from Denmark.
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Trump Revives Interest in Owning Greenland, Greenland Leader Insists It's Not For SalePresident-elect Trump reignites his desire for US ownership of Greenland, prompting Greenland's leader to reiterate its unavailability. The announcement comes as Trump nominates Ken Howery, PayPal co-founder, as ambassador to Denmark.
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Trump Jr. Visits Greenland, Sparking Talk of US OwnershipDonald Trump Jr. has visited Greenland, fueling renewed discussion about the United States potentially acquiring the territory. Trump, who has previously expressed interest in owning Greenland, shared videos of his son's trip on Truth Social, claiming the Greenland people want to be part of the US and highlighting the strategic importance of Greenland for national security. However, Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has stated its commitment to Danish sovereignty and desires for independence.
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