President Trump has been known to shock people with his political style and policies. His latest surprising political play is his venture to purchase the country Greenland. Greenland is one of the most desolate places in the world. If you’re wondering why Trump may be considering this deal, here are some possible explanations.
Notoriety
What is the appeal for buying such a large and remote piece of land? Phillip Inman wrote an article for theguardian.com to explain. According to Inman, “For the president, it is the real estate deal of a lifetime, one that would secure a land mass a quarter the size of the US and cement his place in US history alongside President Andrew Johnson, who bought Alaska from Russia in 1867, and Thomas Jefferson, who secured Louisiana from the French in 1803.” This particular quote suggests President Trump is attempting this real estate deal in order to secure his place in history. A real estate deal of this caliber would certainly guarantee his legacy would live on.
Ownership of Precious Metals
Talks of leasing space in Greenland have been happening for years. Many people before Trump have seen value in the land. Trump desires to take ownership of the numerous precious metals Greenland has to offer. Inman also states in his article, “Greenland harbors some of the largest deposits of rare-earth metals, including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, along with uranium and the byproducts of zinc.” These metals are known to help in the creation of computers, cell phones and even electric cars. Needless to say, owning Greenland and having exclusive access to these metals would be beneficial to our country. It would possibly allow us to create more electronics in the US, mining jobs would likely be in high demand, and it could potentially create a large revenue stream if we decided to sell these metals to other countries. The possibilities are vast.
Strategic Geographical Positioning
Greenland is very strategically placed in between Russia and the United States. That may or may not be a factor in why President Trump wishes to purchase this country. Inman did mention the following in his article as another possible explanation, “The planned multi billion-dollar takeover challenges China’s dominance of the world’s industrial metals and helps to block Russia’s renewed military ambitions.” It seems as though purchasing Greenland would help Trump ‘kill two birds with one stone so to speak. He would be able to intercept Russia and thwart any further military ambition while adding a layer of protection to the US. In addition, Inman’s article mentions it would also give the United States an advantage in terms of an economic race with China.
There are certainly some solid reasons why purchasing Greenland would benefit the United States. Although talks are in the early stages, President Trump seems confident in his ability to come to an agreement with Denmark, who owns the land. It will be interesting to see what comes of these negotiations.