Eurasia Press & News
US President Donald Trump has made it very clear that he wants to take control of Greenland – a key island located between the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Is this the first time that America is trying to secure Greenland? The answer is No.
United States President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland has sparked curiosity and diplomatic unease around the world; however, the idea of America acquiring the vast Arctic territory is not new. Long before Trump floated the proposal, Washington had quietly explored and repeatedly failed multiple attempts to purchase or secure Greenland, driven by strategic, military and economic considerations.
Trump’s Interest in Greenland And A Cash Offer
Earlier this week, Trump revealed that he plans to possess the entirety of Greenland instead of just exercising a long-standing treaty that gives Washington wide latitude to use Greenland for military posts. Furthermore, US officials are reportedly discussing the idea of offering payments ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person to the citizens of Greenland to encourage secession from Denmark and possibly join the United States.
3 Times When the US Tried to Secure Greenland But Failed
From quiet discussions after the Civil War to a $100 million offer in the wake of World War II, American leaders have repeatedly seen Greenland as a strategic prize, tried to secure it, but failed.
1867: US’ Early Interest in Greenland
After buying Alaska from Russia, the US officials had discussed acquiring Greenland as part of a broader push into the Arctic, according to news agency AP. Then Secretary of State William Seward had noted that the territory was rich in natural resources, including coal.
But the idea never advanced to a formal offer, as Congress had little interest in pursuing another Arctic acquisition.
1910: US’ Proposed Land Swap
US diplomats had floated a complex land-exchange plan under President William Howard Taft. The plan proposed the transfer of Greenland to the US in return for concessions elsewhere. However, Denmark had rejected the proposal, leading to its quick collapse.
1946: US’ Formal Post-WWII Purchase Offer
At the outset of the Cold War, President Harry Truman’s administration formally offered Denmark $100 million in gold to buy Greenland, citing its strategic importance. During World War II, a US-built airfield on the island had served as a major refuelling point for military planes en route to Europe.
Denmark rejected Truman’s offer, though the US retained military access. That presence continues today at the remote Pituffik Space Base, the US Department of Defense’s northernmost installation.
