One of the reasons that President-elect Donald Trump has raised the question of Greenland is because it has strategic importance to the United States, important mineral sources, and he’s trying to ward off Russian and Chinese efforts there. There’s a reason that folks like Harry Truman and William Seward looked into the idea of acquiring it in the past.
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Trump is thinking strategically and proactively even before he gets back into the White House. That’s the same reason he’s talking about Panama — to head off problems from the Chinese influence there, given the critical importance of the area and the Panama Canal that’s so vital for our commerce. Thinking that way has, unfortunately, been something we’ve been lacking for the last four years.
In my opinion, it isn’t really about acquiring territory so much as it is about securing the United States.
Now, the Trump magic appears to be working and bearing fruit.
Denmark sent private messages in recent days to President-elect Trump’s team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence on the island, two sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios.
Not only that, Greenland’s leader Múte Egede said that he was prepared to enter into negotiations with Trump about the territory.
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BREAKING: Prime Minister Mute Egede on President Trump talking about purchasing Greenland.
“We are ready to talk.”
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) January 11, 2025
At a press conference Friday in Denmark, which exercises nominal sovereignty over Greenland, Egede said he accepted that Greenland was “a place that the Americans see as part of their world” and that while he has not spoken with Trump, he was open to “discussions about what unites us.”
“We are ready to talk,” he said. “Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work towards solutions.”
He said while they wanted to negotiate, they don’t want to be American or Danish, they want to be independent. Greenland is currently a self-governing Danish territory, and Denmark covers its defense. The U.S. already has a vital military presence there.
Translation? Sounds like they’re likely to agree on what Trump likely wanted all along: the ability to have more security and presence there. “The Art of the Deal” — make a big statement to move the mark so then you can get closer to what it is you really want. Why not also be a self-governing territory of the U.S.? That would be a trade-up from Denmark, with a much greater possibility of security, with a strong United States that can provide defense.
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Trump may not be appointing a “Pope of Greenland” any time soon, as Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman joked when he was queried about what they would be talking about during his visit with the president-elect. But it sure sounds like Trump has them making a big move in his direction on the issue with this latest information.
READ MORE: NEW: Fetterman Gets the Media Going With ‘Appointment’ He Wants From Trump
