Key points
- Trump says won’t rule out military options on Greenland
- Greenland, Danish PMs say it’s not for sale
- Threat prompts Denmark to boost military spending
ISLAMABAD: US President-Elect Donald Trump’s sweeping statements concerning US territorial ambitions under his upcoming White House stint have taken many by surprise.
At one of his Mar-A-Lago Estate pressers earlier this week, Trump said he won’t rule out using military power to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland.
In response to his threats, the autonomous Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede said Greenlanders did not want to be American or Danish.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen responded by saying “Greenland is not for sale”.
The Danish government announced it would boost defence spending in Greenland to the tune of $1.5bn following Trump’s desire to take over the autonomous island.
The European Union (EU) said it would not allow attacks on “sovereign borders”.
Although his threats have not gone unanswered, many ask why Greenland is so important and what Trump wants to do with it.
Before we answer that, one needs to know where Greenland is located.
Where is Greenland?
Located in the North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland is the world’s largest island. The island is more than three times the size of the state of Texas.
Its nearest neighbour is Canada’s Ellesmere Island, which is located 26 kilometres to the north of Greenland.
A territory that is 80 per cent covered in snow and is more than 3,000km (1,864 miles) from the US capital, Washington, DC.
Greenland is home to some 56,000 residents, mostly Indigenous Inuit people.
What is Greenland’s status?
The Arctic island is one of Denmark’s two autonomous territories, the other one being the Faroe Islands.
The island was under Danish rule from the early 18th century until 1979, when it became a self-governing territory.
Since 2009, Greenland has the right to declare independence through a referendum.
Greenland is by default a part of NATO by default since Denmark is a part of the North Atlantic military alliance.
According to the EU website, the island is not a member of the European Union.
It, however, is associated with it as one of the 25 overseas countries and territories (OCTs) of the EU.
Hence, Greenlanders are considered to be EU citizens.
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According to Al Jazeera, Greenland joined the now-defunct European Community with Denmark in 1973 but left in 1985.
Greenland, as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, enjoys sovereignty under the Rigsfællesskabet framework, and any military intervention would constitute a direct violation of its rights as well as Denmark’s.
What is its strategic importance?
The autonomous Danish territory is also home to a US military base and this is where our story begins.
President-elect Trump says the Arctic Island is critical to American national security.
“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation ….” Donald Trump posted on Truth Social platform.
Its capital, Nuuk, is closer to New York (some 2,900km or 1,800 miles) than Copenhagen, which is located 3,500km (2,174 miles) to the east, according to Al Jazeera.
Greenland offers the shortest route from North America to Europe.
“Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation ….” – US President-elect Donald Trump
This gives the US a strategic upper hand for its military and its ballistic missile early-warning system.
The US has expressed interest in expanding its military presence in Greenland by placing radars in the waters connecting Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom.
These waters are a gateway for Russian and Chinese vessels, which Washington aims to track.
The island is also incredibly rich in minerals, including rare earth minerals used in the manufacture of batteries and high-tech industry.
According to a 2023 survey, 25 of 34 minerals deemed “critical raw materials” by the European Commission were found in Greenland.
