The last time that the U.S. seriously wanted to purchase Greenland from Denmark was in 1946, when President Harry Truman occupied the White House. His offer was made under “secrecy and no one learned about it for decades. There was no open bid and rejection as with Trump’s attempt” in 2019, 2024 and 2025.
Truman’s actual offer was later revealed to be “$100 million in gold” or “about $1.3 billion today.” Today, Greenland’s estimated purchase price is as high as $1.1 trillion. This is despite the fact that Greenland only has an estimated“1.5 million metric tons” of rare earth minerals, which is significantly lower than China’s huge 44 million metric tons and the U.S.’s paltry 1.9 million metric tons.
The reason that Truman wanted to purchase Greenland was because Stalin had deceptively broken the Yalta Conference agreements in February 1945 to allow democratic elections in Eastern Europe after the defeat of Nazi Germany. That was the true beginning of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
Now, there is a new de facto Cold War between the U.S. and Communist China along with their Russian satrap, which presently involves the urgent pursuit of rare earth minerals and the creation of navigation routes through the melting ice of the Arctic Circle Sea and the entire world.
Unfortunately, President Trump arrogantly stated on March 27 that the U.S. would “‘go as far as we have to go’” to get control of Greenland. This occurred the day before a planned visit to the gigantic Arctic island by Vice President J.D. Vance, who was accompanied by Second Lady Usha Vance, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. Vance’s visit quickly prompted strong criticism from both Greenland and Denmark, who vehemently protested their uninvited visit.
Trump threateningly and imperialistically added, “‘We need Greenland for national security and international security.’” The president insultingly continued, “We need Greenland. And the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark. Denmark has to have us have Greenland.’” Trump’s unprecedented remarks are an unprecedented military threat to Denmark, which is both an ally and a NATO member.
None of Trump‘s statements are really surprising in his attempt to bully Denmark into selling Greenland to the U.S. During his speech on March 4 at a joint session of Congress; he ominously and shamefully stated that he would either annex or acquire the world’s largest Island “’one way or the other.’” Copenhagen was not pleased at these bellicose remarks.
In his speech, Trump conveniently ignored the fact that the U.S. had as many as sixteen military bases in Greenland during the Cold War! Denmark has been extremely flexible with the U.S. and has never been unamenable to an increased American military presence on the island since 1942.
However, on March 23, Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute B. Egede called Vance’s proposed delegation on March 28 “‘highly aggressive.’” He also stated that he was utterly frustrated that all his previous diplomatic efforts had “[bounced] off Donald Trump and his administration in their mission to own and control Greenland.”
The prime minister was especially angry when he commented, “‘What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland?’” … “‘[His] only purpose [here] is to demonstrate power over us.’” He frustratingly added, “‘his mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.’” In my opinion, he is most likely correct.
The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, was equally upset and angry. She clearly stated on March 23 that “neither Denmark nor Greenland had solicited [any] trips” from the U.S. She also canceled J.D. Vance’s wife’s visit on March 29 to a dog sled race in Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest city, and confined Vance’s entire delegation to a U.S. Space Force base at Pituffik, which was known as Thule Air Force base until April 6, 2023.
According to the UK’s Independent, U.S. officials actually went door-to-door “‘around the Danish-controlled territory’” last week to see if anyone wanted to meet America’s Second Lady. Not one person responded “yes.” That was a sad referendum on U.S. popularity currently in Greenland.
Both Greenland and Denmark later angrily restricted Vance’s entire delegation, whom they regarded as “uninvited guests,” to the U.S. Space Force base at Pituffik in northwestern Greenland on March 28.
As a political Independent who voted for Trump on November 5, 2024, as the much lesser of two evils, I believe that all discussions about the U.S. possibly annexing Greenland should be held behind closed diplomatic doors with the utmost courtesy and secrecy between Washington and Copenhagen.
That is because Denmark has been both a steadfast ally since 1942 and is a loyal member of NATO. To be honest, I am increasingly and reluctantly becoming nostalgic for former U.S. president: Richard Nixon. At least he had a semblance of being a statesman. That is because Trump epitomizes the “ugly American,” and is parroting imperialistic territorial expansionism from the 19th century in American history.
For lack of a better phrase, I call Trump’s present desire to annex Greenland “Manifest Destiny North,” which could require a military invasion and occupation drastically affecting NATO’s very existence. Denmark deserves more diplomatic respect.
The Danes are no fools like the Russians were when the U.S. purchased Alaska for pennies on the acre in 1867. Plus, it appears that the Greenland has much more autonomy about their future than Denmark, and it is presently and emphatically against any U.S. annexation.
I personally detest bullies regardless of nationality. If someone does not stand up and defend oneself against a bully, the situation will only much worsen. If I were Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who plans to visit Greenland April 2-4, I would immediately restrict all American access in Greenland to Pituffik Space Force base, Kangerlussuaq airport and perhaps downgrade diplomatic relations with Washington until January 20, 2029 when Trump leaves the White House.
Unfortunately, Trump is already scheming about having J.D. Vance running for president with Trump as his vice president in 2028 and then having Trump succeed him after Vance’s resignation so that he could have a third term as president. Trump claims that this is a “potential loophole” not addressed by the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Good luck, Denmark.
Robert L. Maronic