Why Greenland? Politico looks back at long list of interested suitors

While scrolling through recent news articles, many might be wondering where Donald Trump's seemingly out-of-nowhere interest for Greenland is coming from. While he did bring up his desire to purchase it during his first term, he is, in fact, far from being the first US leader to have set his eyes on the Arctic island. The United States has long sought to acquire Greenland, driven by strategic and geopolitical considerations. 

The first formal attempt occurred back in 1867 when Secretary of State William H. Seward, fresh off from the Alaska Purchase from the Russian Empire, proposed buying Greenland. An Article by Politico recalls, that Seward argued that Greenland would help the US outflank British-controlled Canada with its abundant resources and strategic location and potentially encourage Canada’s peaceful annexation to the United States. Despite his enthusiasm, Congress, hostile to President Andrew Johnson, dismissed the idea, as it had Seward’s earlier proposal to purchase Denmark’s West Indies.

The US renewed its efforts in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1946, offering Denmark $100 million in gold and a land swap involving American-controlled Point Barrow, Alaska. US officials believed Greenland, located on the shortest route between Washington and Moscow, was militarily essential. They deemed the island neglected and worthless to Denmark, dubbing it a “stationary aircraft carrier.” However, Denmark’s then-Foreign Minister Gustav Rasmussen rejected the offer, viewing it as absurd. Despite the rejection, US military bases remained on the island, which were established on Greenland during World War II to hinder Nazi Germany from using it for attacks on American mainland or exploiting the islands resources.

Other nations also showed interest in Greenland over the years. In 1917, Britain proposed buying the island for Canada as part of post-World War I territorial adjustments, but the plan faltered as Denmark declared sovereignty over Greenland. Norway later challenged this claim but lost in the League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations.

In modern times, President-elect Donald Trump revived the idea during his first term, highlighting Greenland’s strategic importance. His interest mirrored past US motives, emphasizing military necessity and resource potential. Trump’s public musings and his son’s promotional tours reignited debates about sovereignty and expansionism. Trump only recently stated in an interview that he could not rule out taking Greenland by force. 

Greenland’s strategic importance remains undisputed, particularly as climate change opens Arctic shipping routes and exposes untapped resources. While the US continues to see Greenland as vital to its national security, Danish resistance persists. Trump’s interest, though controversial, aligns with a long history of American expansionist policies driven by both security concerns and economic opportunities. Though Seward’s initial vision was dismissed as folly, history has often vindicated such strategic acquisitions, leaving open questions about Greenland’s future and its role in international power dynamics.

By Nazrin Sadigova