A line has been crossed in the Arctic
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD — opinion@theaggie.org
At the 54th annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 21, President Donald Trump reaffirmed his intentions to acquire Greenland. While his first request to annex Greenland was rejected by North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders, Trump has made it clear following his speech that he is now seeking immediate negotiations. However, Greenland — a NATO-backed semi-autonomous Arctic island — is part of Denmark, making any bids to acquire it legally prohibited.
Despite Trump’s claim that he would not use force to acquire Greenland, his remarks in Davos are far from reassuring. They reflect an ongoing power, land and resource-seeking agenda, as well as resonate with recent actions and rhetoric in Venezuela and Iran.
“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,” Trump said. “But I won’t do that.”
Trump argued that Greenland is crucial for United States national and global security. However, in recent years, he has refocused on Greenland due to its untapped natural gas reserves and rare earth mineral deposits — resources that are increasingly valuable in global competition. Additionally, Trump’s recent actions in other countries, such as Ukraine and Venezuela, demonstrate that he is driven by economic incentives, rather than principled diplomacy.
Lost in the idea of potential gains, Trump has overlooked the impacts of this acquisition; specifically, the effects it will have on the people of Greenland themselves. Although Greenland is sparsely inhabited, there are still cities and people who call the island home. The people of both Greenland and Denmark have showcased their outrage by wearing red “Make America Great Again”-style caps with the slogan “Make America Go Away” as a symbol of resistance. Rather than respecting the self-determination and territorial boundaries of Greenland, Trump is focusing on the strategic benefits of acquiring the island.
Initially suggesting his interest in Greenland in 2019 during his first term, Trump stated that Greenland was “hurting Denmark very badly because they are losing almost $700 million a year carrying it.” These claims were laughed off by the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, who called the bid “absurd,” stating that “Denmark is not for sale.”
On Jan. 17, Trump threatened a new set of trade tariffs, this time targeting “any and all goods” from several NATO countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the United Kingdom (UK), if they do not support his bid for Greenland. These tariffs would be scheduled to take effect on Feb. 1 and would increase to 25% by June 1 if an agreement is not reached.
In retaliation, on Jan. 19, several European nations — including France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland and the UK — deployed a small contingent of military troops to Greenland to show solidarity against America’s efforts to take the island and to reject Trump’s tariff threats as blackmail.
However, on Jan. 21, Trump announced he was reversing his scheduled tariffs after meeting with NATO leaders. Trump stated that he and the NATO leaders had “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”
In this address, Trump crossed a line beyond diplomatic suggestion, engaging in bullying and coercion instead. By openly pushing for the acquisition of Greenland and threatening longtime U.S. allies with economic punishment if they refuse to comply, he has moved far past the fundamental principles of diplomacy. Utilizing and threatening cooperation as a bargaining incentive undermines the partnerships and trust within NATO and sets a dangerous precedent that pushes greed and profit over global stability.
Although Trump has stepped away from violent threats and withdrawn the economic punishments for now, the damage has still been done, leaving behind fewer trusting allies and global instability. If the U.S. continues to threaten the sovereignty of other nations without consequence, it is clear this colonial agenda will enact widespread damage to diplomatic relationships and our country’s core principles.
Written by: The Editorial Board – opinion@theaggie.org
