By Zo Terrana
Staff Writer
President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal of the United States buying Greenland has drawn disapproval from a majority of Greenlanders, according to a poll produced by Danish publication Berlingske. According to NPR, Trump initially introduced this proposal on Truth Social in December 2024, stating, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
Trump reiterated this claim when his son, Donald Trump Jr., visited Greenland in early January as a tourist, NPR reported. Again posting on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation…This is a deal that must happen.” The president also stated that he wouldn't rule out economic coercion or even military power to seize Greenland.
Trump’s main goal for acquiring Greenland is for “economic security," according to NPR. Greenland has a substantial amount of rare minerals, uranium and various other materials that range from metals, coal, graphite, copper, lead and zinc.
The initiative for purchasing Greenland for mineral extraction reflects the U.S.'s broader attempt to reduce dependency on Chinese resources. China obtained 95% of the annual global supply of rare earth elements last year, which entailed Beijing to set the “worldwide prices” for these elements, according to the Pulitzer Center.
As of December 2024, in response to proposed tariffs from Trump, China has prohibited the U.S. from receiving exports of minerals like gallium and germanium. This has heightened the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland’s mineral resources.
Gallium and germanium are also found in the Greenland territory. The element gallium is an essential mineral for the production of computer chips, solar panels and LEDs. China is the top supplier of this mineral, so the U.S. will have to navigate China’s blockage of obtaining such minerals.
Due to Greenland’s mineral supply and the territory’s geographical location, Greenland assumes a significant role in Arctic trade possibilities. According to Brown University, as a result of climate change altering the Arctic landscape, shorter and more eco-friendly trade routes could be created. Two Brown University climate scientists named Xueke Li and Amanda H. Lynch, working with a legal scholar at the University of Maine School of Law, Charles H. Norchi, stated within their study, “by 2065, the Arctic’s navigability will increase so greatly that it could yield new trade routes in international waters.”
According to the Brown University study, climate change could be the driving factor in the reshaping of Arctic trade routes, making Greenland a desirable territory. According to Integrity Press, new trade routes could be carved due to the region's climate alterations “revolutionizing global trade patterns,” according to Integrity Press
Greenland’s fjords, which are long, deep and narrow bodies of water that reach inland, enable ports to be built along sea routes, according to the Pulitzer Center. Ports are essential for maritime trade, as they work as international entrance points. Greenland’s potential trade advantages could make the territory a key component in global oceanic trade.
Trump's proposal has received backlash from Greenland’s people and its Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede. According to NPR, Egede said, “Let me repeat - Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. Our future and fight for independence is our business.” These sentiments were also echoed by the people of Greenland. A recent poll revealed a vast 85% of Greenlanders disapproved of being a part of the U.S.
However, the same climate change shifts that are opening trade routes could also lead to negative impacts on the country's landscape, according to Inside Climate News. The thawing ice is initiating landslides near the fjords, destabilizing the landscape and making it unsuitable for infrastructure. It also results in “loose sea ice,” creating dangerous conditions for sea travel.
Trump’s proposal on the possible Greenland purchase has thrusted Greenland into the geopolitical spotlight while simultaneously drawing on the discontent of Greenland's prime minister and people. This proposal has heighted trade relations within the Arctic region, adding to the geopolitical tension of the U.S.
