By Janet Ekstract, NEW YORK – Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his desire to bring Greenland under U.S. control, Greenland, and Denmark, who has controlled the territory for almost 300 years, pushed back on Trump’s remarks. On January 27, in a statement obtained by POLITICO, after Trump took office for the second time, U.S. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Danish MP Aaja Chemnitz issued a joint statement that read in part that Greenland is “open for business, but not for sale.” Chemnitz holds one of two seats in Danish parliament, representing Greenland. Their statement reiterated: “As legislators representing Greenland in Denmark and the United States, we see a better path forward. The United States, like Denmark, should recognize that the future will be defined by partnership, not ownership.” Murkowski who has been critical of Trump and who voted to convict him on impeachment charges after riots on the White House on January 6, 2021 said: “Of course, a businessman turned president would be interested. But Greenland is not for sale.” Murkowski is vice chair of the standing committee of the Artic Parliamentarians forum and Chemnitz chairs that committee.
Meanwhile, recently Maryland Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke out on Trump’s desire to own Greenland when he said: “Trump’s threats to Greenland are a “cause for great concern,” adding “Trump’s latest comments about the Panama Canal and Greenland and Canada show that we’re in for a very rocky ride.” At stake is the fact that Russia and China have been eyeing Greenland not only for its strategic position, also for its rich minerals. Greenland is known to possesses an abundance of strategic resources as well as military strategic advantages which explains why Trump is interested in controlling the territory, analysts point out. A European Commission report on Greenland’s resources, states that 25 out of 34 “critical raw materials” essential for industry in the EU, exist in Greenland. It’s longstanding that Greenland has banned the extraction of oil and gas as well as coal mining. A week ago, on Face the Nation, Democratic Senator Mark Warner, of Virginia, criticized Trump’s remarks on Greenland as a “crazy foreign policy.” Warner who is the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee rejected the idea that the U.S. would “threaten a military invasion” against a populace that has no desire to become part of the U.S.
In a recent CNN interview, Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware said Trump’s idea of taking over Greenland is “insane” and warned that it’s no joke. As Coons explained: “But he’s the president and he’s threatening a NATO ally with military action, it’s insane, it’s unmoored.” He further stated: “The challenge is that the Danes, our close NATO allies and partners are upset and offended, so are the Canadians.” Coons warned that “it does have real consequences” because “he’s threatening our closest allies.” Meanwhile, CNN Political and National Security Analyst David Sanger was asked what he thinks that Russia is thinking about Trump’s remarks on Greenland. As Sanger said of Putin: “I don’t think he could be anything more than delighted by seeing President Trump operate by the same rules.”
