Why Trump Wants To Acquire Greenland?
In late December 2024, US President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to bring Greenland, which is currently a part of Denmark, under US control. By January, Trump went further, suggesting that he might consider using force to take the island. Bakhtiyor Ergashev, Director of the Ma’no Research Initiatives Centre, explains the reasons behind the US interest in Greenland.
Is Trump serious about this plan?
Alongside Greenland, Trump’s ambitions extend to both Canada and the Panama Canal as potential areas of US interest.
When analysing Trump’s statements, it’s crucial to consider the changes in the global political landscape. The checks and balances that characterised the bipolar world order are no longer in place. Today, we are moving towards a multipolar world, and as a result, international law is becoming less effective.
Experts suggest that the world has entered an era of intense confrontation, fierce competition, and geopolitical instability. In this new environment, international law no longer holds the same power to limit actions. The dominant force in global affairs is increasingly defined by the «right of the strongest.»
Take, for instance, the ongoing situation in Gaza. Just two decades ago, such events would have been unimaginable. Yet, in today’s turbulent era—marked by the decline of one global power and the emergence of a new multipolar world—what once seemed impossible is now unfolding. A genocide is taking place in Gaza, witnessed by the entire world, and little can be done to stop it.
Why does US want Greenland?
Greenland is a highly valuable asset that the United States seeks to acquire, primarily due to the strategic advantages it offers in the Arctic. The region is rich in untapped mineral resources, oil, natural gas, and rare-earth metals. As competition for these resources intensifies in the 21st century, America aims to gain a stronger foothold and increase opportunities. Controlling Greenland would provide a significant advantage in this ongoing race.
Another key factor is Greenland’s strategic importance. The US has already established a network of military airbases and early warning systems in the region to detect missile threats. In the event of a missile strike against the US, a large portion of the missiles would likely pass through the Arctic.
By placing additional missile defence systems, radar stations, and airbases in Greenland, the US could greatly enhance its deterrence capabilities against any potential missile attack.
Interestingly, discussions about the possible inclusion of Canada in the US also stem from similar strategic considerations. Like Greenland, Canada offers valuable resources and would further strengthen America’s influence in the Arctic. Additionally, Canada’s strategic location could serve as a defence line against potential missile attacks from the Arctic.
US plans for Greenland: new strategic objective
Greenland is likely to become part of the United States in the future. Whether through a referendum for independence from Denmark followed by joining the US or simply through purchase, America is determined to acquire the island.
This is not just a personal ambition of President Trump, but a collective, agreed-upon goal shared by the US military, economic, and business elites. These groups are united in this aim.
For example, when Trump proposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the US Congress swiftly began working on a bill to make it happen. This shows that territorial expansion is a serious and pressing matter for the US, and it is an objective they plan to achieve.
Bigger picture: why Greenland matters
The era of unipolar dominance is ending, and we are now entering a multipolar world. The economic foundation of this new world will be the creation of large, regional blocs. In this context, global powers will form their spheres of influence, in which their currencies and technological platforms will dominate.
The United States understands that its era of global supremacy, which lasted from 1991 to 2022, has come to a close. It can no longer control the world in the same way.
The US now aims to create a macroregion where it can remain dominant. For America, this region is the Western Hemisphere. The larger and more consolidated this region is, the better. This explains why the US is considering the annexation of Canada and Greenland, as well as regaining control of the Panama Canal.
In effect, the US is reviving the Monroe Doctrine from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The US is also concerned about the potential construction of a canal through Nicaragua, financed by China. America did not want China to establish an alternative route to the Panama Canal in Central America, which would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
There have even been discussions within the US about the possibility of annexing Mexico, though such a move could have serious consequences for the country.
In short, America is working to create a regional economic bloc in the Western Hemisphere, as it no longer can maintain global hegemony. However, due to its long-standing tradition, the US continues to exert influence in Eurasia and around the world.
