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It was back in 2019 during his first term as President that Donald Trump first mentioned that the US “should buy” Greenland. In the wake of the pandemic and completely shifted geopolitical priorities, Trump’s statement, as also his desire, remained unpursued.

 

However, on January 7 this year, two weeks before his inauguration, Trump restated his intentions of adding Greenland to the US territory, by force if necessary.

 

“I can’t assure you – you’re talking about Panama and Greenland — no, I can’t assure you on either of those two. But I can say this — we need them for national security purposes,” quipped Trump when asked by reporters if he would rule out using military force to take control of Greenland. “No, I'm not going to commit to that,” he added.

 

But Trump did not stop at voicing his intentions to annex Greenland with just the media back home. Five days before being officially inaugurated, Trump reiterated his desire to acquire the island in a telephonic conversation with Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

 

According to the official readout of the conversation, Trump was made aware of the insistence of Greenland’s PM Mute B Egede that “Greenland is not up for sale.”

 

In the discussion, Fredericksen also said, “It is up to Greenland itself to make a decision on its future.”

 

Reportedly, the 45-minute conversation turned confrontational with several European media organisations even reporting that Trump used threats during the interaction, including imposing tariffs on Danish goods coming into the US.

 

Trump’s statements, as his intentions, have the potential to have a seismic effect on the region, to put it mildly. “People really don’t even know if Denmark has any legal right to it. But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security - that’s for the free world,” he further reasoned on January 7.

 

The vast mineral wealth or national security?

 

Although “national security” is the stated reason for a political interest in the territory, analysts peg Trump’s blunt and blatant ambition to acquire the Arctic island down to the fact that it is largely untapped in its substantial mineral wealth.

The minerals, found abundantly in Greenland’s territory are essential components of smartphones, electric vehicles, gadgets and a wide range of military applications.

 

The icy island with a population of about 57,000 people, though a territory of Denmark, is a self-governing jurisdiction with its own Parliament.

 

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Strictly from a geographical point of view, the island is considered part of North America rather than Europe. But the people of Greenland and the Faroe Islands are citizens of Denmark.

 

The slight mismatch in the nature of its political and geographical identity is what Greenland itself has addressed recently.

 

Trump may be credited with reviving the Greenland rhetoric but US’ ambitions to acquire the island dates back to last century. An outspoken attempt to acquire the territory was made in the 1910s when the outbreak of World War I put things on a perpetual back burner.

 

Greenland says no, thank you

 

Putting a steep and an immediate barrier before Trump’s aspirations, current PM of Greenland’s government Mute B Egede has stated the region’s aspirations for complete autonomy and independence.

 

Egede has also said that he’d like to cooperate on the same with other powers, including Denmark, EU and the US itself.

 

Egede’s call for early elections is believed to be a direct consequence of the escalating geopolitical tensions lately. The Danish semi-autonomous territory is scheduled to hold its general elections next month.

 

“It’s time for an election to the Inatsisartut [Greenlandic Parliament]. If it approves my proposal, this will happen on March 11,” wrote the Prime Minister Mute Egede in a Facebook post last week.

 

He added, “We are in a serious time. A time we have never experienced in our country. This time is not for internal division but for cooperation and unity for our country. I am once again more than ready to work for you and to lead our country.”

 

Greenland’s aspirations for independence is one of the key issues for the upcoming electoral campaign. Other significant themes include its relationship with Denmark and the United States, state of its fragile and heavily-dependent economy.

 

On February 4, the Parliament of Greenland passed a bill banning foreign or anonymous funding of political parties – a move deemed to be in direct response to Trump’s recent interest to take control of the island.

 

The bill, which protects Greenland’s political integrity, also came into immediate effect. The bill also states that it, “must be seen in light of the geopolitical interests in Greenland and the current situation where representatives of an allied great power have expressed interest in taking over and controlling Greenland.”

 

Ever since Trump’s public admission of his ambition to take over the island, there is a debate playing out in the region's media and the conversations may not be what the US President would like to hear.