Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede holds a press conference with Denmark's Prime Minister (not pictured) in Copenhagen on Jan 10, 2025. [Photo/Agencies]
Incoming United States president Donald Trump looked to be reaping rewards for his verbal assault on Greenland this week when the semi-autonomous territory that belongs to Denmark indicated it may let Washington beef up its military presence on the island and also allow US companies more access to its rich mineral reserves.
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede signaled his partial acquiescence to Trump's demands on Monday, saying his government wants to cooperate and seeks dialogue with Trump's incoming administration.
But Egede also said his government does not want the US to take full control of the strategically important and mineral-rich Arctic island that Trump has said is an "absolute necessity" for US national security.
After Trump refused to rule out using military force or economic coercion to take control of Greenland, Egede said Greenland, not the US or Denmark, will ultimately decide "what agreement we should come to".
But he added: "This is the first time Greenland has been listened to in an intense way. We need to be calm and take advantage of things and stand together."
His comments will likely have been music to Trump's ears because they clearly open the door to more dialogue.
And Trump, who becomes US president on Jan 20, will have been further encouraged by an opinion poll conducted by Patriot Polling that found 57.3 percent of Greenland residents like the idea of their nation becoming part of the US, with 37.4 percent opposed, and 5.3 percent undecided. US political publication The Hill said the poll of 416 residents was, however, too small to be considered accurate.
Motives questioned
Trump, who said last month the US wants to control Greenland "for purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world" has not been clear about the details of why he is coveting the world's largest island, which is home to fewer than 60,000 people.
But experts have shared many theories, among them self-interest.
"Trump's secret motivation for wanting to annex the remote Arctic isle may be more narcissistic: his Greenland-sized ego," an unnamed former Democratic Party White House aide told the United Kingdom's Express newspaper. "Greenland is ripe for exploitation. Is it too far-fetched to think of Greenland with Trump hotels, Trump casinos, and Trump golf resorts, Trump mining interests, and Trump housing complexes?"
International politics professor Thomas Jager, from the University of Cologne, told the German television network NTV: "It's easy to imagine that Trump wants to follow in the tradition of presidents who greatly expanded their territory, like in the 19th century when the United States expanded westwards and then bought Alaska. This would be something that would define him as a truly great president."
Whatever the motivation, he is not the first US president to view Greenland as a target. President Andrew Johnson wanted to buy it in 1867, until the idea was blocked by lawmakers. William Taft tried again in 1910. And Harry Truman made an attempt in 1946, after the US had occupied Greenland during World War II.
With Greenland reportedly replete with reserves of diamonds, gold, lead, rubies, sapphires, and rare earth minerals used in the production of electric vehicles, experts believe Trump thinks the prize is worth the effort, and that he looks to be closer to success than his predecessors.
