In 2019, Donald Trump had already expressed his interest in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Recently elected, the American president seems more determined than ever to make it a strategic priority, even going so far as to mention force as an option.
It is often difficult to take certain statements from Donald Trump seriously, as his speeches are marked by provocative remarks and endless controversies. However, when an American president starts talking about territorial expansion just after being elected, the question deserves to be asked.
A persistent interest in the Arctic island
Trump’s interest in Greenland is not new. In 2019, he had already offered to buy the island from Denmark, an offer quickly rejected by Copenhagen. Today, his obsession does not seem to have weakened. Recently, he denounced what he considers to be the illegal exploitation of the Panama Canal by Chinese soldiers, before following up with another statement affirming that the United States must take control of Greenland for security reasons national and global freedom.
Greenland, although located in North America, is historically linked to Europe via Denmark. It occupies a strategic position for the United States, providing an ideal observation point for ballistic prevention and surveillance of Russian and Chinese submarines in the Atlantic. Added to this is significant natural wealth in minerals (copper, gold, titanium, zinc, etc.), natural gas and oil, making the island even more attractive for Washington. This wealth is notably due to an ecological desire prohibiting the extraction of gas and oil and slowing down mining work.
Towards an escalation of tensions
If initially these statements could be perceived as a simple provocation, the situation took a more serious turn when Trump refused to rule out military or economic action to seize Greenland and Panama. During a press conference, he insisted on the need for an agreement with Denmark, adding that very high customs taxes would be imposed on the country if it refused this transfer.
The European reaction was not long in coming. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, quickly reacted by declaring that “the European Union cannot tolerate a questioning of its sovereign borders”. Although Greenland is part of the Unified Kingdom of Denmark, it should be noted that the island is not a member of the EU.
In this context, the Greenland affair could become a lever for Trump to justify an increase in customs duties against the European Union, or even to call into question NATO, an organization that he has already criticized a long time ago. several weeks already.
As the American president’s new term has barely begun, this affair could well be the first major test of transatlantic relations in the coming years.
