In 2019, the elected president of the United States had already expressed his interest in the territory under Danish sovereignty, whose subsoil and geographical position arouse much covetousness. He has done the same in recent days regarding Canada and the Panama Canal.
“For national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America believes that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity”wrote United States President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday, December 22, on his Truth Social network. This wish from the Republican accompanied the announcement – still on the same platform – of the choice of Ken Howery, co-founder of PayPal, as American ambassador to Denmark to which the island, the constituent country of the Nordic Kingdom, belongs.
Truth Social screenshot
“A big real estate transaction”
In 2019, Donald Trump had already expressed interest in the autonomous territory under Danish sovereignty since 1979 after having been a crown colony until 1953. In the middle of August that year, the Wall Street Journal revealed in its columns that the ex-real estate tycoon would have asked his advisors if it was possible to buy Greenland.
“Greenland is obviously not for sale,” the Greenlandic government reacted. “An April Fool’s Day before its time”, mocked the former Danish liberal Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen. Three days later, on August 19, Donald Trump compared, to American reporters, that the acquisition of this territory four times the size of France would be “a big real estate transaction”. “And strategically, for the United States, it would be nice”he added.
Local authorities subsequently indicated that they were open to trade, but that their island was not for sale. Geologically speaking, the latter is part of the American continent. And according to the American Monroe Doctrine of 1823, Greenland belongs to the security sphere of the United States.
A basement that arouses desire
The basement of the largest island in the world arouses many desires. Populated by fewer than 60,000 people, Greenland is rich in gold, silver, iron, platinum, copper, uranium and rare metals essential for the manufacture of electric batteries and useful for the arms industry. The gas and oil potential is equally colossal but the exploitation of these two resources is prohibited for environmental reasons.
In this strategic region of the world, which is warming up to four times faster than the rest of the world, de facto opening new perspectives for maritime transport and resource exploration, the powers are confronting each other: China and China. Russia has repeatedly expressed its aims in the Arctic.
Trump eyes Canada and the Panama Canal
Donald Trump's statement on Greenland follows other foreign policy remarks this weekend, this time targeting the Panama Canal, a passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. “Our navy and our commerce are treated in a particularly unfair manner (…) The passage fees that Panama charges are ridiculous. This total scam of our country will stop immediately,” he said on Sunday.
“If Panama is unable to guarantee the safe, efficient and reliable operation of this seaway, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, without question”he continued. Control of the canal, completed by the United States in 1914, was fully returned to the Central American country in 1999, under an agreement signed by Democratic President Jimmy Carter in 1977. “The sovereignty and independence of our country are non-negotiable”swept Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino.
A few days ago, finally, the future tenant of the Oval Office once again mentioned on Truth Social the idea of making Canada the 51st American state: “Canadians would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it's a great idea. 51st State!!!.” “Many Canadians want it”he added. A poll carried out two weeks ago by the Leger Institute shows that 13% of Canadians would like their country to become a state of the United States. Donald Trump made his first remark on the “51st State” during a dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in late November.
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