Since 1946, the United States of America’s government has had its eyes on the ultimate geographic advantage of Greenland. Over the course of 150 years, the US has sought to purchase Greenland but has yet to succeed. First, in 1867, after the purchase of Alaska, the US tried to buy Greenland but was declined; ever since then, three high-bidding offers have been made. China and Russia are also in the market for obtaining this land. These three have the same goal to become the ever-powerful monopoly.
Currently, eight countries have territory in the Arctic, making up the Arctic states. This includes the US, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Russia. Through having more access to Greenland, China hopes to gain dominance and become part of the Arctic states by using the Polar Silk Road. Introduced in 2018, the Polar Silk Road is a ship route that allows China to decrease travel time and fuel costs, strengthen ties with Russia, and give China access to Arctic affairs, governance, and military power (The Arctic Institute). Russia and China have very close ties and seek to deepen the relationship, and often, reports of shared activity in the Arctic, including Chinese and Russian military jets and boats, have been spotted together (BBC World Service).
Donald Trump plans to make Greenland a part of the United States because it would give more independence from foreign suppliers, strategic military positioning, and new ship routes. In a press conference, he said, “We need Greenland for national security and international security.” The Arctic ice is currently melting due to climate change, which gives easier access to oil, gas, and minerals, which would reduce America’s dependence on foreign suppliers (mainly Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Brazil) for these natural resources. Owning Greenland would give the US more surveillance of the Arctic and give more ease to identifying threats from other countries, as well as creating the Golden Dome. The Golden Dome for America is an air and missile defense system introduced by Trump in January of 2025, which includes sensing, intercepting, and command and control capabilities according to congress.gov. Trump wants the US to operate freely in Greenland so he can complete his Golden missile dome in response to Chinese and Russian activity in the Arctic. He says, “We can do anything we want. We can do military. We can do anything we want, and it’s being negotiated.”(Times Now World). This is expected to cost over $176 Billion or up to $3.6 Trillion. From the melting ice in the Arctic, new ship routes are being revealed. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is predicted to be the newest and most used ship route through the Arctic due to ease of passage and swiftness(The Arctic Institute).
While owning Greenland would benefit many other countries, the Greenlandic people do not want to give in to the US or others. Greenland is a territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and is self-governing, meaning it has its own government, not a part of the European Union. According to BBC News, many people have been protesting against Trump’s plans in the nation’s capital, Nuuk. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, said, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people and Greenland is a part of the Danish Kingdom, and that is not going to change.”
