The US aren't trying to buy Greenland as they haven't made any offers (as far as we know). They did make an actual offer in 1946, though, and that apparently didn't sour relations...
Trump's way seems to involve a lot of bluster so seeing through it, what are they trying to do, really?
Apparently there has been a surge in pro-independence parties in the latest elections in Greenland, perhaps that is a clue.
A side note is that Denmark hasn't been very strategic. They let Greenland leave the EC/EU, they let them self-govern... this is a path to losing it altogether.
A “part of Denmark” is quite a euphemism for Denmark subjugating a people that want to be independent, that live in a land that Denmark has no right to.
> A part of Denmark is quite a euphemism for Denmark subjugating a people that want to be independent, that Denmark has no right to.
1) The locals have just as vehemently rejected being part of the USA.
2) It's not a euphemism, that's just how "country" works as a concept in international law. See also: "Catalonia is part of Spain", "Navajo Nation is part of the USA", and "Canada became a country on July 1st, 1867"
> The locals have just as vehemently rejected being part of the USA.
My comment did not mention the US. The key point is that Greenlanders don’t want to be slaves to Denmark. It’s a euphemism because your comment - and Danes and the EU in general - don’t seem to recognize that colonialism is alive and well in Denmark’s relationship with Greenland. That’s why virtually all the political parties in Greenland support independence.
As for this euphemism:
> China isn't trying to buy Greenland
This is just a euphemism to justify the lack of any concern over European economic ties with the authoritarian dictatorship that rules China. If Europe wants to divorce from the US due to its principles, they should first have no business ties with China whatsoever. This thing about Greenland is not even remotely a justification for continued support of the CCP.
It’s the US that is divorcing from Europe, not the other way around. The US has seemingly decided to betray Western civilisation and become just another barbaric shithole like Russia and Iran.
Hmm, as it happens there have just been general elections in Greenland [1]. Share of vote of parties that support independence: Pretty much 90%, with big gains for the party that advocates a "more rapid independence", and "favors greater cooperation with the United States". So perhaps Trump's bluster has produced effects... If perhaps not what Denmark would like.
The party gaining most this election has a stance of "remaining within the Danish Realm for the foreseeable future, with independence as the end goal of a gradual process that starts with increased self-determination".
Yes, the party that came first and gained a lot is pro-independence.
The party that came second and gained a lot, too, is also pro-independence but more rapid with better relations with the US, as mentioned, so it seems that Trump's bluster has influenced things but perhaps not the way Denmark would like to...
When the debate effectively shifts from "should we become independent" to "how quickly should we achieve independence" (i.e. not "if" but "how") then I'd say that it's going well for the US and badly for Denmark, despite the European news coeverage.
> It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran.
Weird how Europeans / Canadians / extremist Americans don’t seem to reflect on these types of sentiments, of preferring Iran and China over the US, and realize that maybe, just maybe - they are not thinking clearly. These are literally authoritarian dictatorships, while the US is a democracy that supports things like free speech and freedom of religion. These are values that are more strongly supported in America than anywhere else, and are the same types of values that the EU and Canada should be supporting.
Cause Iran is objectively less of a threat to Canada. They are threat in their region.
USA is actively trying to harm Canada and Europe. Consistently talks about annexing Canada, throws around fake accusations to make American populace cool with it.
It is teaming up with Russia which is expanding and direct threat.
------
USA has crumbling democracy and failing rule of law. It's free speech is currently getting huge hits with Trump literally trying to destroy companies and individuals that dared to go against him. No country is perfect in that regard, but USA is definitely not a beacon of it anymore.
Definitely we should not support the US free speech where one can say any harmful shit and lie deliberately, but can't show tits because tits are "obscene".
You can keep those values, we are fine – thanks.
And definitely an allied country with a massive military — with whom you share a lot of intelligence — that turns on you out of the whim of one single crazy guy
is more of a threat than a poor long term enemy country pretty much isolated from international trade. Far more.
The US is throwing Europe and Ukraine under the bus to yet again try for a ridiculous reset with Russia and get some sort of Yalta 2.0. Just a few weeks ago your vice president came to Munich to argue that we need to work more with our fascists and embrace American style free speech and legalise the Hitler salute. No, the US really is a far bigger threat to Western civilisation than China or Iran. You have betrayed us all.
Perceiving as a greater threat is not the same as preferring one over the other.
It would be preferable from my European perspecitve if neither the US nor Iran needed to be perceived as a threat, but as a viable and reliable partner in a positive sum game. Alas, the US electorate decided differently.
The thing is, Iran and China aren't threatening to invade bits of Europe or Canada. If you take what Trump says at all seriously, then the US is clearly more of a threat to _Europe_ than _Iran_ is.
Greenlanders could be offered 10 million dollars each, the protectorate of the US and laws does not sound so bad to me, I would take it, currently living in a dystopian socialist Labour nightmare, the UK (could be worse, we could still be in the EU).
Mineral extraction from Greenland isn't a short term payoff, it's a long term multi decadal slog, once climate changes hits harder, ice retreats, seasons lengthen, geophysical surveys drape the landscape, surface geochem samples, drilling tests, and infill drilling proves prospects then maybe new grounds can raise capital to open mines and processing.
In the more immediate short term (of a US Presidental term):
Trump looks to The Democratic Republic of the Congo for potential deal on rare earth minerals
The DRC are rich mineral grounds and ground zero for an unspoken proxy mineral battle during the Cold War when the US sourced uranium for the bulk of its post WWII weapons programme from the region.
Now it's primed for another rare earth proxy battle between the US and the already established Chinese foofhold there.
27 comments
[ 2.5 ms ] story [ 83.0 ms ] threadTrump's way seems to involve a lot of bluster so seeing through it, what are they trying to do, really?
Apparently there has been a surge in pro-independence parties in the latest elections in Greenland, perhaps that is a clue.
A side note is that Denmark hasn't been very strategic. They let Greenland leave the EC/EU, they let them self-govern... this is a path to losing it altogether.
• China -> Taiwan (eventually)
• Russia -> Ukraine
• US -> Greenland
I keeping hearing this from DC circles.
Then "center" come and try to gaslight and accuse everyone of paranoia.
Then conservatives and Trump do the bad thing.
Then center shows Pikachu face "who could have know" and proceed to euphemism about what just happened, trying to excuse and explain it away.
1) The locals have just as vehemently rejected being part of the USA.
2) It's not a euphemism, that's just how "country" works as a concept in international law. See also: "Catalonia is part of Spain", "Navajo Nation is part of the USA", and "Canada became a country on July 1st, 1867"
My comment did not mention the US. The key point is that Greenlanders don’t want to be slaves to Denmark. It’s a euphemism because your comment - and Danes and the EU in general - don’t seem to recognize that colonialism is alive and well in Denmark’s relationship with Greenland. That’s why virtually all the political parties in Greenland support independence.
As for this euphemism:
> China isn't trying to buy Greenland
This is just a euphemism to justify the lack of any concern over European economic ties with the authoritarian dictatorship that rules China. If Europe wants to divorce from the US due to its principles, they should first have no business ties with China whatsoever. This thing about Greenland is not even remotely a justification for continued support of the CCP.
So are you hijacking discussion? Because topic is on Denmark-USA relation.
They have especially thrown support behind indepedence, which will lead to a closer relation with the US.
I think that is what this is really about. Of course "being part of the USA" is just bluster.
Overwhelmingly, they want to be Denmark. And are Denmark. And see USA as a threat now.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Greenlandic_general_elect...
The party that came second and gained a lot, too, is also pro-independence but more rapid with better relations with the US, as mentioned, so it seems that Trump's bluster has influenced things but perhaps not the way Denmark would like to...
When the debate effectively shifts from "should we become independent" to "how quickly should we achieve independence" (i.e. not "if" but "how") then I'd say that it's going well for the US and badly for Denmark, despite the European news coeverage.
> It shocked him to realize that he now perceives the United States as a greater threat than Iran.
Weird how Europeans / Canadians / extremist Americans don’t seem to reflect on these types of sentiments, of preferring Iran and China over the US, and realize that maybe, just maybe - they are not thinking clearly. These are literally authoritarian dictatorships, while the US is a democracy that supports things like free speech and freedom of religion. These are values that are more strongly supported in America than anywhere else, and are the same types of values that the EU and Canada should be supporting.
USA is actively trying to harm Canada and Europe. Consistently talks about annexing Canada, throws around fake accusations to make American populace cool with it.
It is teaming up with Russia which is expanding and direct threat.
------
USA has crumbling democracy and failing rule of law. It's free speech is currently getting huge hits with Trump literally trying to destroy companies and individuals that dared to go against him. No country is perfect in that regard, but USA is definitely not a beacon of it anymore.
And definitely an allied country with a massive military — with whom you share a lot of intelligence — that turns on you out of the whim of one single crazy guy is more of a threat than a poor long term enemy country pretty much isolated from international trade. Far more.
It would be preferable from my European perspecitve if neither the US nor Iran needed to be perceived as a threat, but as a viable and reliable partner in a positive sum game. Alas, the US electorate decided differently.
In the more immediate short term (of a US Presidental term):
Trump looks to The Democratic Republic of the Congo for potential deal on rare earth minerals
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-19/trump-drc-cobalt-mini...
The DRC are rich mineral grounds and ground zero for an unspoken proxy mineral battle during the Cold War when the US sourced uranium for the bulk of its post WWII weapons programme from the region.
Now it's primed for another rare earth proxy battle between the US and the already established Chinese foofhold there.