President Donald Trump’s activities outside the United States’ borders are quite something to behold due to his bold, brazen, and aggressive behavior, which has left the public with split opinions. Recently, Trump ordered the extraction of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in what is deemed by some as an effective operation.
This was one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history,” said President Donald Trump at a press conference.
Now, he intensifies his focus on Greenland, a vast, sparsely populated, and mineral-rich island situated between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. Trump has been on a resource hunt lately, and Venezuela and Greenland are the latest targets.
“It’s so strategic,” Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One on Sunday. “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.” Positioned between the U.S. and Russia, Greenland has long been viewed as an area of high strategic importance, particularly when it comes to Arctic security.
Greenland also has resources such as lithium and rare earth elements (REEs) that are essential for green technologies, but whose production and sustainability are highly sensitive, plus other valuable minerals and metals, and a huge volume of hydrocarbons, including oil and gas.
Indeed, the White House ramped up trans-Atlantic tensions even further, saying that Trump and his team are considering “a range of options” to make the self-governing Danish territory a part of the United States — including “utilizing the U.S. Military.”
This has raised eyebrows of NATO and Denmark as they feel like Trump is looking to expand in territories that aren’t his to control.
Greenland issued a statement on Monday.
“Based on the very positive statement from the six NATO member states regarding Greenland, the Government of Greenland will increase its efforts to ensure that the defense of Greenland takes place under the auspices of NATO,” it said.
“All NATO member states, including the United States, have a common interest in the defense of Greenland, and the government coalition in Greenland will therefore work with Denmark to ensure that the dialogue on and development of the defense in Greenland takes place within the framework of NATO cooperation.”
Denmark is at a “crossroads” with the Trump administration, said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“Disagreements and conflicts between the United States and Europe only benefit our adversaries. They weaken us and strengthen them,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Denmark is a loyal and strong ally. We are in the midst of a significant rearmament, and we are ready to defend our values – wherever it is necessary – also in the Arctic,” Frederiksen added.
This week U.S. officials meet with Greenland and Denmark leaders to possibly negotiate with them over the control of Greenland.