Trump wants to buy Greenland again. Here’s why he’s so interested in the world’s largest island
CNNCNN — On Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. landed in Greenland, the Arctic island his father, President-elect Donald Trump, has expressed a strong desire to purchase, despite sharp statements from Greenland that it is not for sale. In December, Trump revived calls made in his first presidency for US ownership of Greenland, calling it “an absolute necessity.” Asked at a Tuesday news conference whether he would rule out using “military or economic coercion” to gain Greenland — or Panama, which Trump has also expressed desire to own — the president-elect responded, “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two, but I can say this: We need them for economic security.” The president-elect says owning Greenland is vital for US security, but experts say he may also be eyeing other aspects of Greenland such as its trove of natural resources — including rare earth metals — which may become more accessible as climate change melts the territory’s ice. Rich in rare minerals What might be even more appealing to Trump, however, is Greenland’s rich deposits of natural resources, said Klaus Dodds, professor of geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London. “I think Greenland is really about keeping China out.” Opportunities as the ice melts Melting ice and rapidly rising Arctic temperatures are giving Greenland a front-row seat to the climate crisis, but some The loss of ice has opened up shipping routes, increasing the amount of time they can be navigated during the Northern Hemisphere summer. It’s not that climate change is making Greenland’s resources more accessible, he told CNN, but rather “more necessary.” Could it actually happen?