President Donald Trump has stated america needs Greenland for its “nationwide safety” after naming Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as particular envoy to the Danish Arctic island, prompting protests from Copenhagen.
“We’d like Greenland for nationwide safety, not for minerals,” Trump informed reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, including that Landry would “lead the cost”.
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Landry stated he would make the Arctic territory “part of the US”.
The feedback drew sharp rebukes from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
“You can’t annex one other nation … Not even with an argument about worldwide safety,” they stated in a joint assertion. “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the US shall not take over Greenland,” they added.
Since Trump returned to the White Home in January, he has commented on a number of events about his want for the mineral-rich island, a requirement Denmark and plenty of different European nations have steadfastly rejected.
So, what does Trump sending an envoy imply for Greenland, and will he achieve buying it?
Why is Trump saying Greenland is ‘important’ to US nationwide safety?
The US president insisted that the resource-rich island is “important” for safety causes, moderately than for its mineral assets.
“When you check out Greenland, you search for and down the coast, you’ve got Russian and Chinese language ships all over,” he stated on Monday, whereas including that the US has “many websites for minerals and oil”.
Trump’s curiosity in Greenland will not be new.
Throughout his first time period as US president from 2017 to 2021, he mooted the concept of shopping for the island from Denmark. Trump then postponed a 2019 go to to the Nordic nation after Danish PM Frederiksen slammed the concept.
He has refused to rule out using army power to grab management, noting in March that the US would “go so far as we’ve got to”.
Geographically a part of North America, Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, lies about 2,900km (1,800 miles) from New York – nearer than it’s to Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, which is located roughly 3,500km (2,174 miles) to the east.
The semi-autonomous territory has a inhabitants of 57,000 individuals.
Why has Trump despatched an ‘envoy’ to Greenland – what does that signify?
On Sunday, the US president appointed Louisiana Governor Landry as particular envoy to Greenland, prompting anger from Copenhagen, which summoned the US ambassador to elucidate the choice.
Following the announcement, Landry stated it might be an honour to serve in a job meant to “make Greenland part of the US”, additional amplifying Denmark’s considerations in regards to the White Home’s intentions.
Taking to his social media platform Reality Social, Trump stated Landry is conscious “how important Greenland is” for US nationwide safety.
Marc Jacobsen, a professor on the Royal Danish Defence School in Denmark, stated whereas Trump is “clearly critical” about his curiosity in Greenland, it’s unlikely he would attempt to take it by power.
“However we actually see makes an attempt to realize affect by means of different channels equivalent to strategic investments and pushing narratives that painting Denmark as a nasty associate,” Jacobsen informed Al Jazeera.
“The appointment of Jeff Landry as particular envoy and Tom Dans because the chief of the US Arctic Analysis Fee must be seen as new parts on this technique,” he added.
How have Greenlanders responded to this newest transfer?
Lokke Rasmussen, the overseas minister of Denmark, stated Trump’s appointment of Landry confirmed continued US curiosity in Greenland.
“Nonetheless, we insist that everybody – together with the US – should present respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he informed the AFP information company.
On Monday, Greenland’s Prime Minister Nielsen stated Greenland is pleasant in the direction of Washington and that “they know there isn’t any impediment to america rising safety within the Arctic on Greenlandic territory if they need to take action.
“However going from that to pressuring to take over a rustic that’s populated and has its personal sovereignty will not be acceptable,” Nielsen informed the each day Sermitsiaq.
Folks in Greenland broadly favour elevated independence from Denmark – however not the switch of sovereignty to the US.
In 2009, Denmark granted Greenland intensive self-governing powers, together with the suitable to pursue independence from Denmark through a referendum.
In August, Denmark summoned the US cost d’affaires after no less than three officers linked to former President Trump have been noticed in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, gauging native sentiment on strengthening ties with the US.
In March, US Vice President JD Vance and his spouse, Usha Vance, have been accompanied by White Home Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz and US Secretary of Power Chris Wright on a tour of the US’s Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland “to obtain a briefing on Arctic safety points and meet with US service members”, in accordance with an announcement launched by Vance’s workplace.
Nonetheless, Greenland’s appearing head of presidency, Mute Egede, wrote in a web based put up on the time that Greenland had not in actual fact prolonged any invitation for an official or non-public go to.
In response to Landry’s announcement, European Union Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa stated Arctic safety was and can stay a “key precedence” for the EU, “one through which we search to work with allies and companions”.
“Territorial integrity and sovereignty are basic ideas of worldwide legislation. These ideas are important not just for the European Union, however for nations all over the world,” they stated on X.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated France’s backing for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each Denmark and Greenland.
He stated Greenland “belongs to its individuals” and Denmark “serves as its guarantor”.
Why is Greenland strategic for the US?
Trump has repeatedly emphasised that the Arctic’s strategic geography – notably Greenland’s place between North America and Europe – is vital to US defence and international safety pursuits.
Its location, providing the shortest route from North America to Europe, would give Washington leverage for its army and its ballistic missile early-warning system.
The US can be fascinated about inserting radars within the waters that join Greenland, Iceland and the UK. These waters are a gateway for Russian and Chinese language ships, which the US needs to trace.
The island additionally hosts the Pituffik Area Base, a serious US army set up used for surveillance and missile warning operations.
What mineral assets does Greenland have?
Trump has denied that its mineral wealth is the true motive he’s so fascinated about Greenland. Nonetheless, it’s wealthy in mineral assets important for the manufacturing of recent applied sciences, together with rare-earth parts for electronics and clear vitality, in addition to uranium, zinc and different base metals.
It additionally holds potential oil and fuel deposits, although their extraction is restricted. Surveys point out that Greenland incorporates a considerable share of the important uncooked supplies recognized by the EU.
Which different international locations are scrambling for positions within the Arctic and why?
A number of international locations have turn out to be more and more lively within the Arctic in recent times.
Local weather change and a quickly melting ice sheet are the primary causes the Arctic has turn out to be a geopolitical hotspot.
The Arctic is heating at a fee 4 instances quicker than the worldwide common, rising its accessibility for maritime commerce routes and useful resource exploration – together with by non-Arctic international locations in addition to these with an Arctic presence.
China has deployed vessels able to serving each army surveillance and analysis capabilities within the area. The needs are to gather knowledge and safe entry to assets and transport lanes, that are rising because of melting ice.
Final yr, Canada unveiled a 37-page safety coverage detailing plans to reinforce its army and diplomatic presence within the Arctic, citing threats posed by rising Russian and Chinese language exercise.
In recent times, Russia has expanded its naval presence, deploying missile programs and ramping up weapons testing within the Arctic.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has additionally famous Trump’s curiosity within the area.
Throughout an tackle on the Worldwide Arctic Discussion board within the Russian metropolis of Murmansk, the most important metropolis throughout the Arctic circle, earlier this yr, Putin stated he believed Trump was critical about taking Greenland and that the US would proceed its efforts to accumulate it.
“It may look stunning solely at first look, and it might be incorrect to imagine that that is some type of extravagant speak by the present US administration,” stated Putin, including that he expects the US to proceed to “systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and financial pursuits within the Arctic”.
Putin additionally expressed considerations about Russia’s neighbours, Finland and Sweden – each of which have borders contained in the Arctic circle – becoming a member of NATO, the transatlantic army alliance between North America and Europe. Finland joined NATO in 2023, and Sweden joined in 2024.
“Russia has by no means threatened anybody within the Arctic, however we’ll intently observe the developments and mount an applicable response by rising our army functionality and modernising army infrastructure,” Putin stated.
Might the US take Greenland by power?
Jacobsen stated if the US have been to invade Greenland, it might imply the top of the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO).
Denmark and the US are founding members of NATO, a European and North American army alliance based in 1949.
“On a private stage for Trump, it might additionally imply the top of any ambitions for getting a peace prize, which he has strived for therefore lengthy,” Jacobsen informed Al Jazeera.
“All his efforts to finish the wars in Ukraine, Israel-Palestine and elsewhere would don’t have any impact to this finish.”
Jacobsen added that there are nonetheless “cheap individuals in the suitable positions” who would pull the “handbrake on such an unreasonable concept like invading Greenland”.
“I actually don’t imagine it’ll occur,” he added.
