The Americans are likely to use the issue of Greenland’s independence to push for takeover with Denmark working hard behind the scenes to avoid this. As analysed in the previous article on Greenland, Denmark was in the process of capitulating to Trump’s threats and recognising American demands to securitise Greenland as a US national security interest with respect to both the Arctic, China and importantly the need to dominate the resources, especially the rare earth metals.
By using the scarecrow of China and Russia, the American’s had called out Denmark for neither having the financial or military resources to protect Greenland. Consequently, despite the public bluster on both sides, negotiations were already under way to find an accommodation between America and Denmark without Denmark losing face. According to the American publication Axios;
“Denmark sent private messages in recent days to President-elect Trump’s team expressing willingness to discuss boosting security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence on the island…” (11/01/25)
The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen moved quickly to meet Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede on 10/01/25, who is an advocate for Greenland’s independence, in order to secure a commitment that he would not use the independence sovereignty issues as a means of transferring control to the American’s. After their meeting, Edge stated, “Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic,”, meaning that Denmark got its commitment with Edge and was ready to talk to Trump with Trump’s Vice President elect J.D. Vance stating in an interview with Fox News that “there’s a deal to be made in Greenland”.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen followed up in a press briefing on Monday 13/01/25 and echoed what the Danish PM had also stated, saying that Denmark doesn’t want to “get into any dispute” with Trump “The Americans have certain concerns about the security situation in the Arctic, which we share and, therefore, in close cooperation with Greenland, we are ready to continue talks with the incoming U.S. president, in order to ensure legitimate American interests…He has a certain specific way to formulate requests and what we are doing right now is getting into a more detailed dialogue with the incoming president,” .” (Axios 13/01/25)
The pressure was put further on Denmark when on Monday 13/01/25 in the US, House Republicans introduced a bill designed to allow President-elect Trump to enter into negotiations with Denmark to “acquire Greenland”.
In response, with a press conference on the same day, Greenland PM Egede confirmed that he was open to working more closely with the US on defence and mining stating that;
“We need to do business with the US. We have begun to start a dialogue and seek opportunities for cooperation with Trump, and that Greenland has its “doors open in terms of mining” and “we have to trade with the U.S (Axios 13/01/25)
However, although Egede openly confirmed his commitment to Denmark not to commit sovereignty to the American’s by saying, “I’d like to repeat again … we do not want to be Danes, and we do not want to be Americans”, the option was still left open when he stated “Greenland’s future is decided in Greenland and by the citizens of Greenland,” (Axios 13/01/25).
Consequently, Greenland’s independence thrust remains an avenue for the Americans to take control of Greenland away from the Dane’s. This was alluded to by Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), who said the president-elect “is always going to leave all options on the table”, suggesting that “”existing agreements” could also be amended, adding that Greenland is “pushing for independence, which would allow all types of other avenues.” (Axios 12/01/25)
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