The US President-elect Donald Trump, after winning the election, has repeated his statements that Greenland should become part of the United States. Greenland is mostly covered by ice, the world's largest island has only about 56,000 inhabitants. This territory is rich in raw materials and important strategic position in the North Atlantic. It has belonged to Denmark for 600 years, and enjoys extended autonomy. So far Greenland has given up on full independence.
What does Trump want?
Shortly before Christmas, Trump again opened the discussion about Greenland. The US is of the opinion that "in the interest of national security and freedom in the world" it is an "absolute necessity" to possess and control Greenland, the future president declared. With this, the Republican refers to his failed attempt during his first term, proposing in 2019 to buy Greenland.
His son, Trump Jr. visited (07.01.2025) the island, as communicated during a private trip. On the same day, Trump Senior gave a press conference at his residence in Florida. In his statement he did not rule out military steps or economic imposition to establish control over Greenland and the Panama Canal. "This is a deal that has to be done," Trump said.
Can Trump buy Greenland?
Once again, a US president wanted to buy Greenland: Harry Truman, after the Second World War, for 100,000 dollars. Even then, the Danish government refused. For his proposal for the purchase of the island in 2019, Trump received an emphatic rejection from Denmark and Greenland. Similar were the reactions even now. "Greenland belongs to us. We are not for sale and we will never be for sale", declared the Prime Minister of the island, Mute Egede. In his speech on the occasion of the new year, however, the Prime Minister of Greenland spoke for an independence from Denmark .
What could happen to an independent Greenland?
Greenland has been a Danish colony since 1953 and is now a self-governing territory within the kingdom. Since 2009, the island has the right to hold a referendum on declaring independence. If that happens, Greenland could decide on a rapprochement with the US in the form of an association agreement similar to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau in the Pacific.
Most of the islanders, although they want independence against the backdrop of economic dependence on Denmark and the EU, are skeptical. Regular parliamentary elections are held in Greenland in the spring. Independence from Denmark is an important topic in the electoral campaign.
What does Trump offer Greenland and its inhabitants?
Trump promises Greenland and its 56,000 inhabitants protection, although so far he has never expressed the motives of his desire. Economically and in terms of geopolitics, this would increase the influence on the region rich in raw materials. Right now with the melting of the ice sheets and the emergence of underground resources, Russia and China are increasingly trying to assert their claims. The USA with the federal state of Alaska near the Arctic since 1951 has an aviation base in the north-west of Greenland.
The professor of political science in Cologne, Thomas Jäger, in an interview for the private television NTV, has expressed another possible opinion that Trump may have: "It can be imagined that Trump wants to place himself in the line of presidents with tradition, who have significantly expanded the territory - in the 19th century, the US extended further west and then bought Alaska. This would make him one of the great presidents."
But why does Greenland, the world's largest island - six times larger than Germany - belong to a small country like Denmark? Geographically, the island is clearly located in North America, the northwestern tip of Greenland is located very close to the coast of Canada.
Denmark, on the other hand, is located more than 3000 km away from Greenland, and Iceland and a part of Norway are located between them. There were many conflicts, but in the end the Danes won and finally the icy Greenland passed to Denmark in 1933.
Greenland was once green
Greenland is called the green country. Because even if today it can't even be imagined - since 85 percent of the island is under a layer of ice - once in Greenland it was much warmer. Researchers have found DNA traces of trees, butterflies and other insects. Between 450,000 and 900,000 years ago, Greenland was covered by dense forests.
The ice sheet, which is still about 3800 meters thick, is shrinking because the glaciers are melting. In addition to this, more and more rain falls, and this intensifies the melting of the glaciers. Researchers have calculated that the level of the sea around the world would rise more than seven meters, in the event that all the Greenland ice would melt.
Few people, no roads at all
Today in Greenland, only the coastal belts without ice are habitable. Mainly on the western coast, the climate is more suitable for life thanks to the current of the Gulf Stream. Most of the villages as well as the capital Nuuk are located here. It has 18,000 inhabitants and is the largest city in Greenland. In total, 56,000 inhabitants live on the island and the population density is the lowest in the world. Only in the Arctic live fewer people than in Greenland.
All over the island there are no roads and railways that could connect cities and villages. There are roads between the cities, but they end at the outskirts of the city. To go from one city to another, Greenlanders use airplanes, ships, helicopters, rafts or dog sleds.
With climate change, something can change in Greenland too. Less ice on this island means more living space for people. The melting of ice releases important raw materials, which are protected: among others, oil, rare minerals, natural gas and uranium.
The hunt for such elements will soon begin. And the president-elect of the USA as a businessman has a strong sense of smell for such things. /DW (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
