by Taylor Adams ‘27

The idea of acquiring Greenland was originally thrown around in 2019, during Donald Trump’s first presidency. His claim was initially dismissed and mocked, even when he revisited the idea at the beginning of his second presidency. However, when he stated in January that he would not rule out using force to obtain Greenland, many around the world  became troubled over his intentions. Trump’s accosting of Greenland exposes his harmful imperialistic and entitled mindset.

Located just northeast of Canada, Greenland sits right on the shortest path for missiles to fly between Russia and the U.S., making it perfect for early warning systems in the event of an attack. Arctic shipping lanes allow European vessels to navigate through the Arctic towards America, and many of these lanes go directly past Greenland. With Russia conducting practice military maneuvers in the Arctic lanes, and the opening of new, more direct lanes due to global warming, Greenland’s position becomes key to American defense. There is already a U.S. military base in Greenland utilizing these benefits, Pituffik Space Base, which was built in the 1950s. Greenland openly accepts the advantage of the base and allows America to station there. Along with its strategic placement, the land is believed to hold large oil and natural gas reserves, which are resources that America never fails to pounce on. Trump sees the assets that come with owning Greenland, but has failed to consider the island’s autonomy. Greenland is a self-ruling territory of Denmark with its own parliament, government, and the ability to control its own domestic affairs. Applying imperialistic control over it would scramble its existing government and economics, which rely heavily on the annual block grant of approximately $630 million they receive from Denmark. Without Danish support, Greenland’s economy will quickly collapse. Trump’s ignorance towards this expresses his unrealistic hope to profit from Greenland without putting any effort towards upkeeping the conditions of the territory. As well, Trump doesn’t need to own Greenland to reap the benefits of its placement as Pituffik has already been established. His initiative towards owning Greenland is nothing more than a yearning for more control.

Trump has already begun interfering in other places in the Western Hemisphere. In early January, the U.S. army and Central Intelligence Agency carried out a special operation known as “Operation Absolute Resolve” that involved capturing Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. The kidnapping was a result of the rising conflict due to the U.S. conducting several strikes on Venezuelan boats accused of carrying drugs. The Trump administration claims taking Maduro was an action of policing dangerous drug activity and government corruption in Venezuela. However, it’s obvious that Venezuela’s oil industry was a large motivator. Following the kidnapping, Trump stated the U.S. would tap into Venezuela’s oil reserves, which are the largest in the world. The imperialistic mindset has already set in towards Venezuela, a country the U.S. doesn’t even own. It doesn’t stop at wanting to own and exploit just Venezuela for its resources, as Trump has even stated he wants to add Canada as the 51st state. He claims rather than using military force, he would enact harsh tariffs and economic pressure to force Canada to allow the annexation.

The Monroe Doctrine, created in the early 1800s and named after James Monroe, the fifth president, was designed to warn European powers away from the newly independent nations in the Americas. Trump coined the term “Donroe Doctrine” in January to describe the U.S.’s recently developed aggressive foreign policy, involving challenging foreign influences and securing resources. Trump’s idea of this doctrine suggests using direct action to restore American power. The belligerence towards Greenland and other resources-rich areas reveals the administration’s desire for dominance over the Western Hemisphere. Both the “Donroe Doctrine” and the deal Trump hopes to achieve with Greenland expose the raw logic of American superiority and entitlement Trump is employing in his foreign policy. He is following closely behind the precedent of Manifest Destiny, which benefitted the settlers but destroyed native populations and led to wars.

The mindset that favors this deal only encourages more global instability, while completely ignoring the possibility of partnership with other countries to get a similar economic benefit. Paired with the American government’s kidnapping of Venezuela’s president, wanting to overtake Greenland conveys a lack of consideration for other nations and keeping the peace. It’s become clear through this pursuit that Trump has developed a fixation on land and power, and his hunger for it is now becoming harmful. If he already feels he deserves the Western hemisphere and all its resources, where does his entitlement end?