As President Donald Trump makes a really public effort to accumulate Greenland, one former Danish official mentioned Trump’s makes an attempt are nothing new — however he should not anticipate it to be straightforward. Curiosity in shopping for Greenland has “popped up on occasion in American politics,” Tom Høyem, Denmark’s minister to Greenland from 1982 to 1987, advised ABC Information in an interview.
Høyem, 83, mentioned Greenland’s political significance through the years, in addition to his response to Trump’s latest want to purchase the island territory.
“Trump resides in a story the place this has been a problem for the final 150 years,” Høyem mentioned.
The acquisition of Greenland has been a subject of dialog since earlier than World Struggle II, when Denmark bought the Danish West Indies — now often called the U.S. Virgin Islands — to the USA in 1917 for $25 million, Høyem mentioned. Many American policymakers argued the U.S. also needs to purchase Greenland as properly, based on Høyem.
“[President] Woodrow Wilson at first mentioned, ‘No, it isn’t value something in any respect. It is simply ice. I do not need it.’ However there was such an enormous debate within the U.S. that he was pressured to do one thing,” Høyem mentioned.
When Wilson requested for possession of Greenland, the Danish minister on the time replied, “No,” based on Høyem. Wilson signed an settlement in 1917 stating the USA acknowledges Greenland as Danish, Høyem mentioned.
In the doc discussing the switch of the Danish West Indies, then-Secretary of State Robert Lansing wrote, “In previous this present day to the signature of the Conference respecting the cessation of the Danish West-Indian Island to the USA of America, the undersigned Secretary of State of the USA of America, duly licensed by his Authorities, has the respect to declare that the Authorities of the USA of America won’t object to the Danish Authorities extending their political and financial pursuits to the entire of Greenland.”
A view of Pituffik House Base (previously Thule Air Base) in Greenland, Oct. 4, 2023.
Ritzau Scanpix by way of Reuters, FILE
If Denmark was to ever promote Greenland to any nation, Høyem mentioned the UK would obtain the primary proper to purchase it, because the U.Ok. held dominion over Canada on the time of the treaty.
“Canada is simply 20 kilometers away. That is why the British mentioned, ‘If Denmark ever sells Greenland, we must be the primary to resolve whether or not to take it or not,'” Høyem advised ABC Information.
Now, with Trump saying he needs to buy Greenland, Høyem mentioned historical past is repeating itself.
“Trump grew up listening to these tales,” Høyem mentioned. “His era and his dad and mom’ era typically heard about U.S. makes an attempt to purchase Greenland.”
Trump has repeatedly expressed his curiosity in buying the island territory, starting throughout his first administration when he tried to purchase Greenland, however as a substitute gave $12 million for financial growth. Trump has since restated his curiosity in shopping for the territory shortly earlier than his second inauguration.
“For functions of Nationwide Safety and Freedom all through the World, the USA of America feels that the possession and management of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump mentioned in a December 2024 assertion.
Trump mentioned the acquisition was wanted for safety functions, including he’s “defending the free world.” The U.S. additionally operates Putiffik House Base, the Protection Division’s northern-most base, which sits on the coast of Greenland.
“You could have roughly 45,000 folks there. Individuals actually do not even know if Denmark has any authorized proper to it,” Trump mentioned, with out clarification, throughout a Jan. 7 press convention at Mar-a-Lago. “But when they do, they need to give it up as a result of we want it for nationwide safety. That is for the free world.”
Greenland can also be wealthy in worthwhile minerals, together with uncommon earth metals, valuable metals, valuable stones, and uranium, based on the U.S. Division of Commerce’s Worldwide Commerce Affiliation. Whereas that will sound interesting to a possible purchaser, Høyem mentioned mining there’s extraordinarily costly.
An plane carrying businessman Donald Trump Jr. arrives in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 7, 2025.
Emil Stach/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP by way of Getty Imagees
Trump’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., visited Greenland on Jan. 7, however acknowledged the go to was for private causes. Throughout this journey, his father mentioned on social media, “Don. Jr. and my Reps touchdown in Greenland. The reception has been nice. They, and the Free World, want security, safety, energy and PEACE! It is a deal that should occur.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio additionally reiterated an curiosity within the U.S. securing Greenland throughout his Senate affirmation hearings.
“Placing apart all of the issues which are occurring within the media, I feel we have to perceive that Greenland’s been strategically vital to the USA and to the West for a really very long time,” Rubio mentioned. “I feel we now have the chance to see it for what it’s, and that’s one, if not an important, one of the vital essential elements of the world over the following 50 to 100 years shall be whether or not there’s going to be freedom of navigation within the Arctic and what that may imply for international commerce and commerce.”
Høyem mentioned he doesn’t know Trump, however thinks “he must be briefed a bit extra by his civil servants.”
“His new minister of overseas affairs spoke to the Danish overseas minister — my celebration chief and good friend — and so they each agreed: ‘Let’s not talk about Greenland for now,'” Høyem mentioned.
The prime minister of Greenland, Múte Egsede, has rejected the thought of promoting Greenland to Trump, saying, “Greenland is ours.”
“We’re not on the market and can by no means be on the market,” Egsede mentioned in an announcement. “We should not lose our lengthy battle for freedom.”
Donald Trump Jr. visits Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 7, 2025.
Emil Stach/Ritzau Scanpix by way of AP
Officers from Denmark additionally haven’t supported Trump’s Greenmark proposal, together with Danish politician Anders Vistisen, who explicitly urged the newly elected president to “f— off.”
“Greenland has been a part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years,” Vistisen mentioned throughout a European Parliament assembly on Jan. 21 in Strasbourg, France. “It is an built-in a part of our nation. It isn’t on the market.”
Høyem mentioned if Greenland determined to grow to be impartial, “they might instantly be focused by main international powers.” Till then, Høyem mentioned the territory wants extra U.S. navy funding to assist defend it.
“I personally cannot think about Greenland turning into absolutely impartial,” Høyem mentioned. “Operating a rustic that giant with so few folks is almost not possible.”
No matter the way forward for Trump’s Greenland proposal, Høyem mentioned the land holds important energy.
“Trump might need checked out Greenland as an actual property deal, however for Denmark and Greenland, it is a matter of geopolitical survival,” Høyem mentioned. “The Arctic is extraordinarily vital, and I agree with Trump on that.”