On 22nd December (local time), President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, expressed his desire to gain control of Greenland. In a post on Truth Social, Trump asserted that it was an “absolute necessity.” Notably, Greenland is a part of the North American continent but is part of the Kingdom of Denmark as an autonomous territory.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Ken Howery would serve as the ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Howery, who is a co-founder of PayPal and a venture capital fund among other companies, served as ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first term as President. In the post, Trump further added, “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.”
This is not the first time Trump has expressed interest in taking control of Greenland. In 2019, Trump indicated that he wanted to purchase Greenland from Denmark. Greenland is known for its natural resources and geopolitical relevance. His desire to take control of Denmark’s territory, however, drew severe backlash from Denmark’s leaders. The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, categorically said that Greenland was not for sale. During a visit to the island, she had said, “Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously.”
Following Frederiksen’s remarks, Trump responded by cancelling a meeting with Denmark’s PM. Notably, there is a US Space Force base, Pituffik Space Base (earlier known as Thule Air Base), located on the northwest coast of Greenland. The island is located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is the world’s largest island that is not a continent. The strategic location of Greenland and its close proximity to the Arctic and some countries, including Russia, make it desirable for the US.
Trump’s desire to control the Panama Canal
Not only Greenland, but Trump has also expressed a desire to take control of the Panama Canal. In one of his recent comments, he ‘threatened’ Panama to return control of the Panama Canal to the US. Trump expressed his dismay over the fees Panama charges for American vessels’ passage through the Canal.
Responding to his remarks, the President of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, said that his country’s independence was non-negotiable. Furthermore, he defended the fees charged for the passage of American vessels, asserting that they were not set “on a whim.”
The Panama Canal was constructed in 1914. Until 31st December 1999, it was the US that managed the Canal. On that date, the control of the Canal was handed over to Panama based on treaties signed in 1977. OpIndia’s detailed report on Panama Canal can be checked here.
