Why does Trump want to take over Greenland - and could he actually do it?

[Smithy]

The US president is claiming he wants to annex Greenland for the sake of national security - but experts suggest he has ulterior motives.
Donald Trump has warned he is "very serious" about annexing Greenland – and has not ruled out taking the territory by force.

The statements are not dissimilar to those the US president has made in the past, but after his administration's unprecedented military operation in Venezuela last weekend, alarm bells will be ringing louder in the vast Danish territory.
Here's what you need to know about why Mr Trump wants Greenland and what the territory's leaders have said in response. Plus, what could the ramifications be?

Trump says US 'needs' Greenland for national security
Greenland, which is northeast of Canada, is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and has been for hundreds of years - but Mr Trump claims the US "has to have" it.

Straddling the Arctic circle between the US, Russia and Europe, the island with a population of just 57,000 offers a unique geopolitical advantage that America has eyed for more than 150 years.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/why-does...reenland-and-could-he-actually-do-it-13285350

 

[Nancy Hart]

Who knows? The U.S. already has a military base in Greenland, and a cooperative agreement with Denmark as long as both countries remain members of NATO. It had as many as 6,000 personnel during the cold war. Reduced to 150 now. It's not about national security.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

Denmark has control of Greenland, but it is the US that Greenland depends on for defense, and Denmark really has no reason to have control of Greenland.
The concern is that Greenland is about to be taken over by China or maybe Russia, so it would be much better for Greenland to make a deal with the US instead, and we can actually help them to use some of the resources that they have and don’t use now (because they need help).

It is not like President Trump wants to go in and take over the country, which is what some reports are saying. We are in talks with the leaders in Greenland right now, to work out a deal that is beneficial to both Greenland and the United States.
Greenland is part of the western world, and Denmark is defnintely not even close to Greenland, and there is not actual reason for Denmark to have any say in what happens with Greenland.

This is the same thing as some people are saying about Canada. The US has no intention of taking over Canada either, but Canada has depended on the United States for defense forever, as well as other help we give them, like money.
Most of the Canadian population is close to the US border; so if Canada wanted to work out something with the US officially, I believe that we would work out something with Canada that id beneficial to both countries, too.

 

[Don Alaska]

The Venezuela operation was not unprecedented. A similar thing was done by GHW Bush with Noriega. The Maduro apprehension was done with much more skill. Reagan also did a small operation in Granada. I agree with most of what @Yvonne Smith posted above. Denmark "owns" Greenland but has done nothing to develop it or help the residents there for a couple centuries. As @Nancy Hart posted the U.S. has one base there that was once Thule AFB but is now Pituffik Space Force Base. I have no idea how it is now, but it was once the most dreaded of stations in the USAF to be stationed to. I suspect keeping it out of Chinese/Russian hands plays a big part, but the resources under the ice are also important. Trump is a big builder/developer and probably has designs on the island. I think he would be content with control of the island to keep especially Chinese away. The Chinese have been trying to surround the U.S. with "bases" in the Caribbean, Latin America, and even Western Canada where Trudeau reportedly gave them "training facilities".

 

[Don Alaska]

Denmark has control of Greenland, but it is the US that Greenland depends on for defense, and Denmark really has no reason to have control of Greenland.
The concern is that Greenland is about to be taken over by China or maybe Russia, so it would be much better for Greenland to make a deal with the US instead, and we can actually help them to use some of the resources that they have and don’t use now (because they need help).

It is not like President Trump wants to go in and take over the country, which is what some reports are saying. We are in talks with the leaders in Greenland right now, to work out a deal that is beneficial to both Greenland and the United States.
Greenland is part of the western world, and Denmark is defnintely not even close to Greenland, and there is not actual reason for Denmark to have any say in what happens with Greenland.

This is the same thing as some people are saying about Canada. The US has no intention of taking over Canada either, but Canada has depended on the United States for defense forever, as well as other help we give them, like money.
Most of the Canadian population is close to the US border; so if Canada wanted to work out something with the US officially, I believe that we would work out something with Canada that id beneficial to both countries, too.

I just saw a discussion around Greenland elsewhere. During the recent Greenland discussion, Denmark says if the U.S. takes Greenland, it will mean the collapse of NATO. An Austrian delegate to the "NATO Expansion Council" stated the European Union would expel the U.S. from its European bases and send the U.S. military home. The threats are stupid. Nothing would make Trump happier than to pull most of American Troops back to U.S. territory and for the Europeans to defend themselves form Russia. Russia would be delighted too, and the Europeans would no longer be able to support their national health structures and socialist programs as Russia would become a real and imminent threat. I don't think anything they could do would excite Trump more, as he has been trying to get the European continent to provide for its own defense since he was first elected President in 2016.

Of course, the EU could just surrender to Russia, and that would put the U.S. in aa bad situation, but Trump is counting on the Europeans not to do that.

 

[Nancy Hart]

 

[Jacob Petersheim]

I think that it's more about uniting the hemisphere for defense, resources, and trade than an actual annexation of Greenland.

 

[Mary Stetler]

Who knows? The U.S. already has a military base in Greenland, and a cooperative agreement with Denmark as long as both countries remain members of NATO. It had as many as 6,000 personnel during the cold war. Reduced to 150 now. It's not about national security.

Might be leaving NATO?

 

[Mary Stetler]

I think that it's more about uniting the hemisphere for defense, resources, and trade than an actual annexation of Greenland.

Yes. i figured he is just setting up another deal.

 

[Marie Mallory]

Who knows? The U.S. already has a military base in Greenland, and a cooperative agreement with Denmark as long as both countries remain members of NATO. It had as many as 6,000 personnel during the cold war. Reduced to 150 now. It's not about national security.

Greenland possesses some of the world's largest untapped reserves of rare earth elements (REEs)—minerals critical to modern technologies, clean energy transitions, and defense systems. As the global demand for these materials surges, Greenland's strategic importance as an alternative source grows.

 

[Marie Mallory]

Denmark has control of Greenland, but it is the US that Greenland depends on for defense, and Denmark really has no reason to have control of Greenland.
The concern is that Greenland is about to be taken over by China or maybe Russia, so it would be much better for Greenland to make a deal with the US instead, and we can actually help them to use some of the resources that they have and don’t use now (because they need help).

It is not like President Trump wants to go in and take over the country, which is what some reports are saying. We are in talks with the leaders in Greenland right now, to work out a deal that is beneficial to both Greenland and the United States.
Greenland is part of the western world, and Denmark is defnintely not even close to Greenland, and there is not actual reason for Denmark to have any say in what happens with Greenland.

This is the same thing as some people are saying about Canada. The US has no intention of taking over Canada either, but Canada has depended on the United States for defense forever, as well as other help we give them, like money.
Most of the Canadian population is close to the US border; so if Canada wanted to work out something with the US officially, I believe that we would work out something with Canada that id beneficial to both countries, too.

We should build more bases on Greenland. I don't think they want a huge Trump size problem with Trump if they go after Greenland.
It would be like us going after Taiwan. Or even inside Russia's territory Ukraine.Oh thats right we already attempted to do both either covertly or not covert.

 

[Marie Mallory]

I just hope we protect America and leave everyone alone or on their own if not allied with them.
All these billionairies and their's can go to a safe place once the bombs start dropping us and our children can't.

 

[Marie Mallory]

You know what we can't stop or stand with any of this, but we can get on a list if they decide to go after those who don't agree with their plans, so this is foolish of me to even comment.

 

[Don Alaska]

Greenland and Iceland control the access from the Arctic Ocean (and Russia's north ports and military installations) and the East Coast of North America. I think that was the route the Bismarck et al. took when avoiding the British warships so they could attack shipping in the North Atlantic. It is also a good place to watch for missiles. Denmark does nothing to develop the resources there due to green concerns, but the residents suffer the lack of income and low standard of living.

 

[Mary Stetler]

I might speculate that China and or Russia has sites set on Greenland and Trump might be setting something up for Greenland with the US for the benefit of both, knowing what is going on there.

 

[Nancy Hart]

I think he wakes up every afternoon morning thinking, "What can I do today to get attention?" Tweeting 100+ outrageous tweets on Truth Social into the late-night hours has become routine and boring to everyone.