Trump stands firm with desire to capture Greenland, stating Russia and China as threats to the goal of owning that part of the arctic. Greenland holds steady, continuing to move towards recognition as its own country while the U.S. attempts to take ownership of the nation.
“We never ask for anything and we never got anything,” Trump says. “We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that … I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
Trump pushes for mineral rights in an attempt to block China, which is currently backing a company in Australia with interest in the minerals in Greenland’s mines.
“I don’t see a need for taking over Greenland. We’re open to investment and working with Americans,” Christian Keldsen, managing director of the Greenland Business Association, told CNN.
Emmanuel Macron, French President, while hosting prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland, insinuated that discussion and action towards U.S, ownership of Greenland has been “a wake up call.”
“Greenland is not for sale,” Macron says in the indigenous language of Greenland, “nor is it up for grabs. The Greenlanders will decide their own future.”
Neodymium, one of the rare earth minerals under Greenland, is used for magnets that find use in electronics and military technology– evidence suggests there are also other minerals that could further green energy advancement, and untapped fossil fuel reserves, according to Research Gate.
Threats or statements have not been directly made by China regarding Trump’s accusation, though Russia has spoken on the issue.
Mette Fredriksen, prime minister of Denmark suggests world order is rapidly shifting, but that Europe is not afraid to stand up for itself.
“What happens in Greenland is of no concern to us whatsoever,” Putin says before putting a billion dollar price tag on the island.
“There simply is no such thing as a better coloniser … “Sara Olvig, Leader of the inuit Circumpolar Council in Greenland says to U.S. threats. “We are seeing a repetition of colonialism and imperialism that we know, because we have already been colonised and none of us want to be colonised again.”
It’s estimated by the U.S. Geological Survey that there could be an assumed 17.5 billion barrels of oil and 148 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in Greenland.
Greenland, along with striving for independence from any state including the U.S., staunchly voted to end all fossil fuel explorations in 2021, says PBS, due to arctic fear of climate change. With oil, minerals, and gas as incentives for the U.S. to gain the territory, ⅔ of these require mining.