Could Trump Invade Greenland?

Could the United States really seize Greenland? In January 2025, Donald Trump reignited controversy by refusing to rule out military action to take control of the Danish territory, citing its strategic importance to U.S. national security. These remarks have sparked international alarm, with critics viewing them as more serious and calculated than his 2019 proposal to buy Greenland. Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea, emphasising the island’s autonomy and NATO alliance. With its vast size, valuable resources, and growing geopolitical significance due to melting Arctic ice, Greenland’s future has become a flashpoint in global politics, further intensifying tensions between Western allies and raising concerns about the erosion of post-1945 norms of territorial sovereignty.

This video explores the implications of Trump’s threats and the potential consequences of U.S. attempts to acquire Greenland, whether peacefully or by force. We’ll examine the island’s unique geopolitical importance, including its position between North America and Europe and its role in U.S. Arctic strategy. We also discuss alternative solutions, such as free association agreements, which could balance Greenland’s push for independence with its need for economic and security support. As this unprecedented situation unfolds, the stakes for NATO, Europe, and the international order could not be higher.

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*VIDEO CHAPTERS*
00:00 Introduction and Titles
00:52 Territorial Integrity in International Relations
01:50 Greenland: Location and Population
02:36 A Brief History of Greenland
03:26 Greenland under Danish Rule
06:02 Trump’s Claim on Greenland
08:46 How Could the USA Acquire Greenland?
12:07 Greenland-USA Free Association: A Possible Solution?

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#Greenland #Trump #UnitedStates

[JamesKerLindsay]

I know we shouldn't perhaps engage too much with Trump's every comment. But, like the Panama Canal, this is rather important. It raises some crucial questions for the international system. In the worst-case scenario, it has the potential to split the West completely and even lead to the collapse of NATO. So, how do you see this developing? Will Trump be able to get his way? And what happens if he doesn't? And what about the idea of free association? Do you think this is a good option? Let me know your thoughts below.

[zepwafels]

"So, is Trump really serious?" Be prepared to try answering this question every other day for the next 4 years

[golmgolm]

Danish just could cut off Ozempic supply. US will capitulate next week.

[jespernystad]

Mining companies worldwide have researched Greenland's mineral riches thoroughly over the years, and every time, they concluded that mining was too expensive, very difficult, and would never pay off. The ice sheet is 3 miles thick, and nobody knows what minerals are underneath. Where there is no ice, there is thick snow, freezing cold dangerous thick sea ice, and winds 8 months a year and 3 months of total darkness. There are no roads, no harbors, nothing except hungry polar bears... and when you finally find an interesting rare earth deposit 300 miles from the nearest village, you have to build a harbor, miles of roads, houses, a power plant, and a landing strip under difficult conditions before you can even start.

[Bulldog]

Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland!
Greenland is currently an autonomous region within the Kingdom of Denmark. We are Danish citizens. Our dream is full independence. Together with Denmark we stood by US when they evoked article 5 for the first time in History, we fought by your side for decades and lost proportionally the same as you did in in the wars we fought together.
We, most emphatically, DO NOT want to become another, abused, neglected overseas territory of the US. The idea that you can just send someone in here with a bunch of money and we’d sell our country, is ludicrous. All we have to do is to see how the US has, and is treating its indigenous populations in Alaska and in the continental US. We have no illusions about being treated any differently under US rule.
Greenland has formally been a territory of Denmark since 1721, long before the U.S. was even a sovereign country.
In 1979, Greenland got autonomy and a Home Rule government was elected. This was achieved, not through bloodshed and war but through peaceful negotiations. A situation pretty unique in a world where most colonized people have had to pay for any independence with their blood.
The authority of the Government of Greenland, and its parliament, was further expanded in 2009. The Greenland government and parliament make unilateral decisions on almost all domestic issues.
The members of the parliament are elected every four years through free and fully democratic elections. However, some areas are still determined by Denmark such as defense, foreign policy, citizenship, and the judiciary system. Denmark does not, however, enact or decide any laws in these areas that concern Greenland without consulting first with our own lawgivers.
The ties between Greenland and Denmark go way beyond history, politics or money. There are many deep family ties. Many people in Greenland have a Danish ancestor or ancestors or Danish family members.
Our society is modeled on the Scandinavian system of tax payed healthcare, education, social services etc. Currently Denmark subsidizes Greenland annually with the equivalent of around 600 million US dollars.
To think that the US would ever willingly pay even a fraction of that to Greenland is insanely naive. The US has never paid as much as a penny in rent to Greenland for the land they have annexed/occupied for their military bases.
The US already strategically controls Greenland, through their military base in the northern part of Greenland. There is no chance of the Russians or the Chinese coming in here with any military might.

No, trump isn’t worried about the Russians or the Chinese coming to Greenland. That is an excuse. No, he wants full control so he can strip mine Greenland with impunity of any and all mineral wealth, raping her blind and leaving nothing but death, destruction and pollution in his wake. This is what his MAGA goons mean when they talk about “development”.
We don’t want your system of government, we don’t want your model of society with its crazed gun culture, insane medical bills and costly education only for the rich. You have no freedoms that we don’t already have. Our society is not perfect, but yours is definitely not worthy of emulation.
We can’t do much if the orange menace wants to act like Hitler and annex/occupy us. Our population is small and not heavily armed.
But such an aggressive act towards a friendly, peaceful neighbor and ally, would certainly not win the US any new friends on the world stage. They would probably lose several of the ones they have now as other countries would justifiable fear a U.S. take over. Trump may think he’s joking or that it’s fun to threaten the sovereignty of other sovereign nations as he has done to Canada, Greenland, Panama and Mexico. But this kind of rhetoric is dangerous in a world as volatile as ours. To dismiss his comments is foolish, as he, like Hitler did, has plenty of followers who are ready and willing to carry out his wishes of a violent take over of territories not belonging to the US.
The US under trump would gain far more through peaceful coexistence and trade…and as our leaders in Greenland have stated: We are open for business, but we are definitely not for sale.

[tng]

He is no different from Putin if he is to go for such aggressive move.

[Chop]

The fact that we are even discussing this topic is embarrassing and completely insane to me.

[live_free_or_perish]

We already have military assets in Greenland, and there has been no objection to increasing our presence there. This nonsense is unnecessary and should have been handled discretely by diplomats.

[Nom_AnorVSJedi]

If the USA can take Greenland and Panama and incorporate Canada, then can China take Burma, Mongolia and Taiwan?

[taiwanisacountry]

I am really surprised that many Americans think that joining America would be an upgrade for Greenland. I am Danish guy who took Greenlandic Studies as a side for my bachelor.
Greeland would be like puerto rico, Hawaii, or Alaska. Left alone.
The only reason why the two last mentioned are doing fine is due to tourism, and oil.

So what has Denmark done?
Greenland was the first place on the planet to have widespread internet adoption. First users of satellite phones. They had the first coloured newspaper.
What can America brag about, when it comes to supporting Puerto Rico?
I am curious. It must be better than free healthcare, free education at all levels, policing, a real democracy, and much more.

[echarts]

In 1916, in return of accepting giving up its claims on Greenland, the United States bought Danish West Indies from Denmark by $25, 000, 000 in gold, which the islands are called U.S. Virgin Islands now.

An interesting point would be whether the status of U.S. Virgin Islands would be affected by the latest developments.

[HumanistCommunicator]

Trump withdrawing from NATO or destroying Western relations would be the ultimate gift to other imperial states, a self cessation of the stagnant hyperpower, isolating its strength.

[KarinaStavenes]

Thank you for this timely video, Professor Ker-Lindsay! You do such an excellent job of explaining everything. I'm so thankful for your channel.

[MDFification]

As a historian, it's starting to feel a lot like the turn of the nineteenth century. And that should scare us.

[cclr]

One would have thought that the Neville Chamberlain lessons on appeasement would be etched in our memories forever.

[willbaren]

Thank you for an excellent broad overview of the issues.

[duran]

❌No one fears Trump❌
But everyone afraid of the majority of Americans who have given him a complete mandate for the 2nd time! This is the scary aspect of all of this.🤷‍♀️The Americans have become more extreme! 😮‍💨

[LarsPallesen]

A very fair and well researched presentation of the current situation in Greenland. Tip of the hat from Denmark.

[nekoking]

Good video. Could you make a video about Donald Trumps idea for a “soft invasion” in Mexico against its Cartels.

[FredoRockwell]

Great video, as always! I can't help but wonder if President Trump's comments are going to be the launching point for a lot of your videos over the next four years!