[Global Focus] U.S. President's Obsession with Greenland... 85% of Residents Oppose

Appears to Have Set Sights on a "Second Alaska"
Abundant Rare Earth Elements and Geopolitical Value
Experts Express Concern Over the "Logic of Great Powers"

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, acquiring a territory of 1.72 million square kilometers. At the time, the deal was criticized as buying useless land, but Alaska was later re-evaluated as a "treasure trove of resources" due to its abundant natural resources, including vast reserves of oil. Now, President Donald Trump appears to have set his sights on Greenland, a Danish territory, as the "second Alaska." Experts have expressed concern about the "logic of great powers," in which the United States casually tramples on the territorial sovereignty of other countries to serve its own interests.

Trump's Greenland Purchase Plan Conceived Seven Years Ago

President Trump first became interested in purchasing Greenland in the spring of 2019, during his first administration. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), during a meal with White House aides, Trump mentioned hearing that Denmark was facing financial difficulties due to its support for Greenland and suggested considering the purchase of Greenland. Over 85% of Greenland's territory is covered in ice, and aside from fishing, the island has no significant sources of income, relying on substantial annual subsidies from Denmark. These subsidies currently amount to $610 million per year.

When President Trump first shared his idea, his aides were reportedly taken aback, with some interpreting it as a joke. However, it is known that Trump continued to bring up the issue later on. The Washington Post (WP) reported that it is unclear what conclusion, if any, was reached.

After a period of quiet, Greenland has returned to the "eye of the storm" with President Trump's return to the White House. On January 5 of last year, marking the official start of Trump's second term following ratification by both houses of Congress, President Trump declared in his inaugural address that the United States should own Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal, advocating for territorial incorporation. The world was thrown into confusion.

The option of "U.S. troop deployment," which had previously raised concerns among Greenland, Denmark, and NATO allies, no longer appears to be under consideration. However, allied countries are not letting their guard down, as evidenced by the rapid increase in stationed troops in Greenland. In addition, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the Netherlands have also contributed by sending smaller contingents of troops.

The likelihood of the United States purchasing Greenland with money also seems slim. According to Reuters, recent White House discussions have included the possibility of paying each Greenland resident $10,000 to $100,000 (approximately 14.5 million to 145.4 million won). This figure is far from the expert estimate reported by NBC News, which ranges from $500 billion to $700 billion (735 trillion to 1,027 trillion won). Even at the lowest estimate, the amount exceeds half of the U.S. defense budget for 2026, which is about $900 billion.

Meanwhile, the White House meeting on the 14th, which drew worldwide attention, ended with little progress beyond the establishment of a working group to address security concerns. Denmark stated that the transfer of sovereignty is a "red line" and emphasized the significant gap between the two sides. After the talks, President Trump cited threats from Russia and China as reasons why the United States must take control of Greenland. However, on the 15th, the Russian Foreign Ministry immediately refuted this, stating, "Neither Russia nor China has ever announced any such plans."

Instead, it appears likely that the United States will use other diplomatic and security measures, such as tariffs. On the 16th, President Trump stated, "We may impose tariffs on countries that do not cooperate on the Greenland issue because we need national security." He has consistently expressed a strong desire to annex Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark, and this statement is interpreted as a warning that tariffs could be imposed on countries opposing this policy.

Estimated Rare Earth Reserves: 36.1 Million Tons

The value of Greenland can be divided into two main aspects: economic and geopolitical. These are: ▲ its value as a treasure trove of resources, possessing a variety of strategic minerals such as rare earth elements, which have become central to the U.S.-China power struggle, as well as nickel and uranium; and ▲ its geopolitical value as a key variable in the opening of Arctic shipping routes and changes in the global logistics network.

Among the resources Greenland possesses, rare earth elements are particularly noteworthy. Rare earths are essential raw materials for advanced technology industries such as semiconductors, batteries, and defense. As of 2023, the Greenland government has identified approximately 36.1 million tons of rare earths in the country. It is also estimated that large reserves of rare earths remain in some unexplored areas in the south.

In addition, Greenland is located midway along the shortest Arctic route connecting Washington, D.C., and Moscow. It is a key strategic point and a critical outpost. For the United States, securing Greenland would serve to keep Russia in check and block China's advance into the Arctic.

Even before President Trump, the United States recognized Greenland's value. After signing a military defense treaty with Denmark, the United States has operated an air base in Greenland since 1951. In 1964, former President Harry Truman expressed to Denmark his willingness to purchase Greenland for $100 million in gold, but the Danish government declined.

The United States has continued to strengthen its influence in Greenland in recent years. In 2020, for the first time in about 70 years, the U.S. consulate reopened in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. In 2021, the United States cooperated with Greenland's Ministry of Mineral Resources to support mineral exploration and regulatory system improvements. During the Biden administration in 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to invest $3.95 billion to modernize the Pituffik Space Base.

"An Era Where 'Great Power Logic' Prevails"

A merchant in Nuuk, Greenland, is holding a T-shirt with the phrase "Greenland is not for sale" on the 14th (local time). In a public opinion poll conducted in January last year, 85% of Greenland residents expressed opposition to joining the United States. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

The Greenland government and its residents remain as firmly opposed to becoming a U.S. territory as they were in 2019. On January 13, Greenland's Prime Minister M?te Bourup Egede declared at a press conference, "We would rather remain with Denmark than become part of the United States." In a public opinion poll conducted in January last year, 85% of Greenland residents expressed opposition to joining the United States.

European countries are equally alarmed by the sight of the United States pressuring Denmark, a NATO ally. France, led by President Emmanuel Macron, plans to open a consulate in Greenland on February 6, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. He explained that the opening of the consulate is a "political signal to expand influence in Greenland."

Experts have focused on the contents of the White House statement released after the emergency arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The White House claimed that it "needs" Greenland and designated securing Greenland as a "national security priority." This is a unilateral assertion of the Trump administration's "America First" policy.

Professors Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro of Yale University recently wrote in Foreign Affairs that "the United States is overtly threatening the sovereignty and territory of countries such as Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, and Mexico-following Venezuela-through illegal and unilateral force and coercion, rather than through legitimate means such as UN Security Council approval."

This logic of great powers was long foreseen. French Foreign Minister Barrot stated on French radio early last year that, while he did not believe the United States would invade Greenland, "we have entered an era where the law of the strong prevails." The New York Times (NYT) analyzed that "Trump-style America First, unlike traditional isolationism, is expansionist and colonialist in nature, coveting the territory of other countries based on military power."