Donald Trump shakes up the international board once again with an idea that is no longer taken as a joke: take over Greenland. What sounded like a provocation during his first term is now interpreted as something more serious. They summarize it with a disturbing phrase: the island could end up becoming Trumpland. Not on a whim, but because of a mix of power, historical legacy and .
From Europe, the message has been received with alarm. Denmark and community leaders have reaffirmed that Greenland is not for salebut in Washington the tone has changed. And that’s what makes this time no one laughs.
An obsession that no longer seems like a joke
When Trump first talked about buying Greenland in 2019the reaction was one of disbelief. Today the context is different. After his return to power, the president has shown that does not rule out using force or economic pressure to impose their vision of the world. In CNN They highlight that his speech has gone from the symbolic to the practical.
Trump himself has defended that the United States needs Greenland for national security. The argument is not new, but it is now accompanied by political and military gestures that worry the allies. The White House He has even refused to explicitly rule out the use of force, something unthinkable just a few years ago.
Why Greenland is a strategic gem
Greenland is not just ice. It is a key piece of control of the North Atlantic and the Arctic. During the Second World War it was already essential to monitor maritime routes and today it is again essential for three very clear reasons:
- military position– Hosts a US base critical for missile early warning systems.
- New sea routes: The thaw opens strategic steps that interest the United States, Russia and China.
- Natural resources: rare earths, critical minerals and potential oil and gas deposits.
Here appears one of the key contradictions of Trump’s speech. The United States already has legal margin to reinforce its military presence on the island thanks to . You don’t need to own it. Therefore, in CNN They ask themselves: what are they really looking for?
A personal legacy called Trumpland
The answer points less to security and more to political ego. Trump wants to leave a physical and territorial mark. He openly admires expansionist presidents such as Thomas Jefferson, who doubled the size of the country with the Louisiana Purchase, or William McKinley, under whose leadership he annexed Hawaii.
According to the analysis of CNN, Trump does not want to share or negotiate, he wants to own. And, if I could, rename. Hence the irony of Trumplandwhich actually contains a warning: imperial temptation is back in the White House.
Europe sees a direct threat
The reactions have not been long in coming. France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom with Denmark. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has been clear: an attempt to take Greenland by force I would destroy the I’LL TAKE.
Former Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis put it bluntly in CNN: A military clash between allies would be the beginning of the end of the Atlantic Alliance. Something that until recently was only feared from Russia or China, not from the United States.
Is a Greenland purchase realistic?
Even setting aside international legality, the operation would be extraordinarily complex. Would require approval by the US Congressagreements with the European Union and an astronomical figure. Some analysts speak of hundreds of billions of dollars.
The final question is uncomfortable: Would American taxpayers be willing to foot that bill while housing, healthcare and cost of living problems continue to grow?
A more unstable world
The conclusion of CNN the thing is Trump’s speech is no longer just rhetoric. Their movements generate real uncertainty in Europe and within NATO. Greenland may never become Trumplandbut the simple fact that this scenario is contemplated says a lot about the current political moment.
And above all, he issues a warning: the greatest risk to Western balance no longer comes only from outside, but also from within.
