Greenland occupies about 0.28 percent of the world’s total land area and has a population of only around fifty-six thousand. It was formerly a colony of Denmark and is currently a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. At present, control over Greenland’s foreign affairs and security remains with Denmark. Greenland is also rich in rare natural minerals. Strategically located between the United States, Europe, and Russia, Greenland has long been viewed as a crucial area for U.S. security.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated at a program that President Trump had expressed a desire to purchase Greenland. Trump himself has been heard saying in speeches, “We will take Greenland, but I don’t know how. We will take it.”
Failed Attempts in the Past
 |
| AI Generated Image |
After successfully purchasing Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million U.S. dollars in 1867, President Johnson’s Secretary of State William H. Seward turned his attention toward other Arctic territories. At that time, Iceland was also a Danish colony. Seward’s focus was not limited to Greenland alone; it also included Iceland. However, no formal proposal was submitted to Denmark.
In 1910, the then U.S. ambassador to Denmark, Maurice Francis Egan, proposed acquiring Greenland and the Danish West Indies in exchange for the United States handing over the island of Mindanao in the Philippines (which was then under U.S. control) to Denmark. Egan presented this proposal to the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, but it failed to materialize. Within a few years, the First World War began, and the United States did not pursue the matter further. However, among the territories mentioned above, the Danish West Indies were later purchased by the United States from Denmark in exchange for gold worth approximately 25 million dollars. These islands are now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In 1946, the United States formally proposed to Denmark that it would purchase Greenland for 100 million dollars. At that time, Harry Truman was the President of the United States. During the Cold War following the Second World War, the United States viewed Greenland as extremely important from a security perspective. Denmark rejected the proposal, and it was kept so secret that the world only learned about it in 1991, after a Danish newspaper published a report on the matter.
During the Second World War, Greenland served as a strategic hub for Allied air transport between the United States and England. After Germany occupied Denmark, all contact between Greenland and Denmark was completely cut off. Subsequently, Greenlandic officials appealed to the United States, after which the U.S. agreed to defend Greenland. In accordance with that agreement, U.S. troops are still stationed at Thule Air Base in Greenland. For this reason as well, Greenland and the United States can be seen as directly connected.
Options for Making Greenland Part of the United States
One possible option for the United States could be a military attack on Greenland. However, both the United States and Denmark are currently members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). An attack on Greenland would itself be contrary to NATO’s values and principles. Article 5 of NATO states that “an armed attack against one NATO member shall be considered an attack against all members, and each member has the obligation to assist the attacked member.”
Moreover, Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter prohibits the acquisition of any territory through the use or threat of force.
At present, the United States possesses the world’s most powerful military, with approximately 1.3 million active troops, whereas Denmark has only around 17,000 military personnel. Even if Denmark were attacked, it would not be in a position to defend itself alone. In such a situation, Denmark would have no option but to seek assistance from other NATO members. However, Trump has repeatedly stated that Greenland would not be incorporated into the United States through the use of force.
Another option could be a referendum. If the current population of Greenland were to decide in favor of joining the United States, Greenland could be incorporated into the U.S. on the basis of that popular mandate. Part 8 of the Greenland Self-Government Act states that “the decision regarding Greenland’s independence shall be taken by the people of Greenland; thereafter negotiations shall take place between the governments of Greenland and Denmark, and finally such independence must be approved by a referendum held in Greenland.” Since Greenland is currently an autonomous territory of Denmark, Denmark’s involvement in the question of Greenland’s independence is unavoidable. One possible path could be to achieve full autonomy through a referendum and then merge with the United States. However, in the present political context, this option appears almost impossible. Surveys conducted at various times indicate that only 3 to 4 percent of Greenland’s residents support merging with the United States. Therefore, this second option also does not seem effective. That said, if a referendum were to take place, economic incentives could potentially influence the outcome. It cannot be ruled out that by providing economic assistance, the United States might attempt to tilt the result in its favor.
In the 21st century, it is astonishing in itself for the head of a state to publicly declare that he intends to annex another territory. Experts in international law interpret this as oppression by a powerful state against smaller nations. Observers argue that Trump’s ambition is driven not by national or international security concerns, but by expansionist policies. From controversial decisions such as calling for the arrest of Nicolás Maduro to withdrawing from the World Health Organization, Trump’s future policies remain difficult to predict.
Comments