Copenhagen, Denmark – Greenland seems to be an attractive opportunity for US President Donald Trump, who presents himself as a skilled deal maker.
He has long said he wanted to buy a vast, semi-autonomous icy ice that is part of Denmark, rich in undeveloped mineral resources and home to around 56,000 people.
In 2019, during his first term as president, Trump proposed that the US buy Greenland and fram it as a real estate transaction.
In 2025, the president again said Trump was concerned about national and economic security, believing China and Russia would pose a threat. Both countries strengthened their military operations in the Arctic Circle.
Trump also questioned whether Denmark has Greenland rights and said that if so, Copenhagen should give it to the US.
“I think Greenland will get because it relates to the freedom of the world,” he told reporters who were aboard the Air Force last month.
He refused to rule out military attacks if his demands were not met. This is a threat that opened up a new chapter in tensions with Europe.
In 2019, the proposal was rejected.
Kim Kielsen, then chairman of the Naarachalzuts of the Greenland government, said the territory was not for sale.
We have found that the governments of Greenland and Danish are once again highlighting the same message.
Mute Vigade, the current chairman of the Greenland government, highlighted his desire for independence and confirmed his interest in cooperation with other authority figures, including Denmark, the European Union and the United States.
Al Jazeera interviewed Berger Poppel, a social scientist and professor emeritus at the University of Greenland. On the rising tensions, Donald Trump Jr.’s recent visit to Greenland, the latest territories polls, relations with Denmark, and the Arctic challenges due to increased climate and increased maritime traffic.
Al Jazeera: Donald Trump Jr. visited Greenland on Donald Trump’s private jet to sell his ideas. If acquired by the US, Greenland’s wealth would improve. Local reports show that some Greenlanders were forced to say they lack everything in the film and that they love the United States. Do the Greenlanders love America?
Birger Poppel: Sold this idea and it sums up very accurately the purpose of Trump JR’s half-day visit to Nuuk.
Trump’s vanguard arrived the day before, where they handed out Maga hats to those they met and agreed to be at Nook Airport when Junior and his PR team arrived.
Upon arrival, Junior was greeted by local Trump supporters who took part in Trump’s campaign as activists, along with a few locals wearing maga hats and a group of curious Nook citizens. .
One of the events was lunch at a local fine restaurant. The locals, and mostly socially disadvantaged and poor resources, got free meals.
Junior’s visit was a major PR stunt. He claimed he was visiting tourists, but he and the group brought in a largely political message based on fake news and manipulated information. This also applies to his statement regarding the Greenlanders’ view of the United States.
Four out of five parties [Greenland’s Parliament] The Inats faction, including both parties, holds Greenland’s independence as part of the political programme. The majority of Greenland’s population wants to become independent within 10-20 years, and is subject to a level of living that can maintain its standard of living.
A recently published opinion poll shows that 85% of Greenlanders do not want Greenland to leave Danish territory and become part of the United States instead.
If Greenland chooses whether the population is Danish or American, 55% choose Danish citizenship and 8% choose American citizenship.
Al Jazeera: How should Trump’s view that Greenland evaluates the security of the United States and the economy be evaluated? Will China and Russia pose a threat?
Popel: Taking Trump’s words at face value means the threat is hardly strong. It should also be noted that Trump poses a threat to one of America’s most loyal NATO partners.
This is just one example of how Trump has not accepted or respected an international social order based on rules that allow borders. Therefore, Trump’s statement also contributes to justification, for example. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war against Ukraine.
The US has the opportunity to achieve geostrategic goals in Greenland, and a defence agreement between the base and Denmark in North Greenland.
If “economic security” means access to raw material extraction of rare earth elements (REEs), Greenland’s autonomy invites US and American companies to apply for exploration and development licenses in Greenland. did.
Only American companies have licenses.
Therefore, there may be a reason for Trump’s statement – it is insufficient insight into actual terms, or the desire to own Greenland, which also territorially “makes America great again” It’s about appealing to core voters to point out what needs to be understood. This is the case with the Panama Canal.
Al Jazeera: The Arctic was usually considered a frozen remote, not only geographically but politically. What has changed?
Poppel: Global warming means, among other things, the ice cover of the Arctic Ocean is decreasing in both range and thickness. This means an increase in transport traffic, particularly through the northeast passageways.
The increase in transport also means more traffic from China and Russia, and Trump appears to be afraid that some of this traffic will be made up of naval vessels from Russia and China.
In recent decades, Russia has modernised and upgraded military facilities along the coast, and modernised the Russian navy with icebreakers, along with increased access to the Russian Arctic coast.
In an interview, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the growing US security needs in the Arctic Circle, as China may want Greenland’s port facilities. Rubio saw this as a debate over Trump’s desire to own Greenland by the United States.
Five Arctic countries adjacent to the Arctic Ocean in the so-called Illissat Declaration from 2008 have pledged to resolve regional conflicts by peaceful means. Ten years later – In 2018, five Arctic coastal provinces confirmed the Illissat declaration, thereby maintaining the Arctic as a low-tension region.
There is no doubt that both Russia and China are becoming more and more interested in the Arctic Circle. Russia, adjacent to half of the Arctic Ocean, modernizes military facilities in the Arctic, and China is interested in oil and gas from the Russian region of the Arctic Circle, and transports future Arctic Ocean lanes in the future I use it at cost.
Al Jazeera: Europe was shocked by Trump’s promise to take over Greenland by the necessary means. The Danish government has launched plans to increase security in Greenland. How do you see Danish reaction?
Poppel: Greenlandic government and members of the Danish Parliament Greenlandic have pointed to the need for an increased priority to monitor Greenland’s territory and water off the coast of Greenland for years.
In 2019, the Danish government decided to increase its surveillance and allocate funds to Greenland, but in the past four years, despite political pressure from Greenland, the Danish government has been subject to political pressure. Despite this, nothing has been done to improve surveillance.
The US has options that will establish more bases through an agreement with Greenland and Denmark, but do not utilize individual options.
Al Jazeera: What can you tell us about US bases in Greenland?
Popel: In 1953 the United States established the Thule air base in 1953 after Inughuit, the former resident of the area, was forced to relocate by the state of Denmark to make room for the base.
Currently, the base, known as the Pituffik Space Base, has an early warning system, space surveillance potential, and satellite command. The private parts of the bases sometimes provided employment to both workers in Greenland and Denmark.
Al Jazeera: Are you worried about the climate in the long term?
POPPEL: An increase in US production of fossil fuels means an increase in CO2 emissions, leading to increased temperatures and therefore an increase in melting of all kinds of ice.
Trump dreams of exporting more oil and gas, and increased shipping costs will further contribute to the climate impact.
Marco Rubio’s statement that fossil fuel transport should take place along the north and west coast of Greenland, implies the risk of environmental disasters in a vulnerable Arctic marine environment, affecting wildlife in any case. Give – especially marine mammals that are extremely sensitive to noise.
This interview was lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
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