Donald Trump, upon returning to the White House, turned his gaze with unquenchable determination to Greenland, the ice giant, the largest island in the world, whose fate has been intertwined with the ambitions of the great powers for centuries. His words, spoken on 26 March 2025 on a conservative talk show, “We need it. We have to have it” – sounded like an echo of old imperial aspirations, but in the modern context they take on a new, almost theatrical tone. For Trump, Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, is not just a geographical point, but a symbol, a key to strategic dominance and, perhaps, a personal historical legacy. But behind this determination lies a subtle game of interests, where history, economics and geopolitics are woven into an exquisite but tense pattern.
Historical echoes: from Louisiana to Alaska
Trump undoubtedly draws inspiration from the annals of American expansion. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson, a master of diplomatic finesse, persuaded Napoleon to sell Louisiana for $15 million, a deal that doubled the size of the United States and became the cornerstone of its future greatness. Six decades later, in 1867, Andrew Johnson, whose presidency was often marred by political storms, approved the purchase of Alaska from the Russian Empire for a modest $7.2 million (about $150 million in today’s prices). The mockery of Seward’s “ice chest” at the time gave way to recognition: Alaska has become a treasure trove of resources and a strategic outpost. Trump, calling Greenland a “great real estate deal,” clearly sees himself in this gallery of visionary presidents whose bold moves have reshaped the map.
History also has examples with Denmark: in 1917, Copenhagen ceded the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands) to the US for $25 million, fearing that they would be captured by Germany during World War I. These precedents, tested by time and the archives – from Napoleon’s diplomatic correspondence to the Senate debates on Alaska, available at the US National Archives – feed Trump’s narrative. However, Greenland is not a desert island of the last century, but a living territory with a people whose word, according to the 2009 Self-Government Act, sounds louder than any proposals from overseas.
A strategic dance on the edge of the Arctic
Greenland is a fascinating country not only for its size – 2.1 million square kilometres, larger than Mexico or Saudi Arabia – but also for its location. Straddling the North Atlantic and the Arctic, it is like a geopolitical sentinel guarding the approaches to the riches of the North. The melting of its glaciers, accelerated by climate change, is exposing deposits of rare earth elements and hydrocarbons that Washington, Beijing and Moscow dream of. According to the US Geological Survey, the Arctic could hold up to 13% of undiscovered oil and 30% of gas reserves – figures backed by research in 2008. New sea lanes opening up in the region promise to shorten trade routes, raising the stakes in this game.
Already, Greenland is home to Thule Air Base, the northernmost point of US military presence. Its radar systems, according to the Pentagon, monitor space and missile threats, and expanding control over the island could give the US an unprecedented advantage in the Arctic confrontation. Trump likely sees this not only as a defensive bargaining chip, but also as a way to outshine competitors whose moves in the region – from Chinese investment in Greenland mines to Russian military manoeuvres – are becoming more visible.
The Greenlandic voice: between independence and anxiety
But there is another side to this story – the voice of the Greenlanders themselves. Their 57,000 souls, scattered across the vast expanse, do not want to be a bargaining chip. The Self-Government Act of 2009, the text of which is available on the Greenlandic government’s website, proclaims them a separate people with the right to self-determination. The 11 March 2025 election, covered by the local newspaper Sermitsiaq, showed that three-quarters of voters supported parties that advocated gradual rather than hasty independence from Denmark. Trump’s idea of waiting for Greenland to secede and then offering it an alliance with the United States is running into reality: polls conducted by the University of Greenland in 2024 show strong opposition to joining America.
Epilogue: ambition on the verge of being possible
Trump, a master of grand gestures, is facing a challenge where history serves as both a guide and a warning. His Greenland deal is not only a deal, but also an attempt to add his name to the pantheon of those who expanded America’s horizons. But unlike in the days of Napoleon or Alexander II, when lands changed hands at the behest of monarchs, today the voice of the people is louder. The Greenlanders, like a thin thread in this complex tapestry, remind us that even the most grandiose plans can dissolve in the cold Arctic wind if they do not find a response in the hearts of those whose land has become the object of other people’s dreams.
Author : Aleksandr Potetiuiev
