The Real Reasons Greenland Matters

What It Covers

Trump's renewed push to acquire Greenland raises questions about Arctic strategy, NATO relations, and territorial sovereignty. Heather Conley explains Greenland's strategic importance for missile defense and submarine detection, its political relationship with Denmark, why past purchase attempts failed, and how Trump's approach undermines existing cooperative frameworks with Arctic allies.

Key Questions Answered

• •Historical precedent: The United States attempted to purchase Greenland twice—President Johnson considered it in 1867 after buying Alaska, and President Truman quietly offered in 1946 but was declined. NATO's founding in 1949 and the 1951 US-Denmark bilateral defense agreement eliminated the need for ownership by granting America military access to Greenland without acquisition.
• •Strategic military value: Greenland hosts Thule Space Base on its northwest coast, America's most northerly military installation, which operates early warning radar for missile detection. The island controls critical North Atlantic sea lanes and monitors the GIUK Gap (Greenland-Iceland-UK) to detect Russian nuclear submarines threatening the East Coast.
• •Denmark subsidy structure: Denmark provides approximately 700 million dollars annually in subsidies to Greenland's 56,000 residents for healthcare, education, and social services. Greenland gained home rule in 1979 and economic decision-making authority in 2009, but Denmark retains control over foreign policy and national security, creating tension about potential independence.
• •Diplomatic backfire: Trump's acquisition threats unified Denmark and Greenland against America after years of internal tensions between Copenhagen and Nuuk. European leaders now draw red lines on territorial sovereignty, with Denmark's prime minister stating NATO would end if America seized Greenland. This undermines existing offers for increased US military and economic presence.
• •Arctic threat assessment: Chinese and Russian military activity concentrates near Alaska in the North Pacific Arctic, not Greenland. Five Chinese scientific research vessels appeared in the Beaufort-Chukchi-Bering Sea in summer 2024 for the first time. Russia tests hypersonic missiles from the Arctic and conducts joint exercises with China near American territory.