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Why Does the United States Want Greenland? Trump, Resources and the New Arctic Power Struggle
The desire to seize control of the world is not new. Throughout history, various adventurers and conquerors have attempted this, yet none succeeded in conquering the entire globe. Several figures did manage to capture large parts of the world, including Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. In recent history, a similar attempt was made by Adolf Hitler. However, Hitler’s primary objective was not to conquer the whole world; rather, his main goal was to occupy Eastern Europe and Russian territories in order to create “living space” for the German race. These days, comparable ambitions seem to be stirring in the heart of President Donald Trump. The real-estate investor within him appears eager to take control of vast territories. After Venezuela, his eyes are now fixed on Greenland—indeed, it would be more accurate to say that his covetous gaze has fallen upon Greenland, the world’s largest island, though not a continent. The name Greenland was introduced by Scandinavian settlers. It is a Danish word meaning “land of people.” This autonomous country is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and lies between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is 2,166,000 square kilometers, of which 1,755,000 square kilometers—about 81 percent—is covered by ice. Its population is roughly 57,000. The history of Greenland dates back to 2500 BC, evidence of which still exists in the form of archaeological remains. Over the centuries, beginning in 986 AD, the western coast of Greenland was settled by people from Iceland and Norway. Some of these settlements survived for centuries, while others disappeared in the fifteenth century, possibly due to famine or conflict. In 1721, a major expedition was launched in which Norwegian missionaries and others traveled to Greenland. In July 1931, Norway declared eastern Greenland an uninhabited region and occupied it. Denmark took the case to the International Court in 1933, which ruled against Norway. During the Second World War, Greenland’s connection with Denmark was severed when Germany occupied Denmark. The United States then assumed responsibility for Greenland’s defense, returning control to Denmark after the war. During the Cold War, the U.S. established military bases in northern Greenland, turning the island into a strategic front between global powers. The minerals hidden beneath the ice, the opening Arctic sea routes, and geopolitical rivalry transformed Greenland from merely a geographic entity into a center of politics and power. In 1979 Denmark granted Greenland limited autonomy but retained control over defense, foreign affairs, currency, and economic matters. By the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Greenland gained greater self-rule and established a local government, yet it remains part of the Danish realm. This raises the question: what is it about Greenland that makes the United States want to seize it? First, Donald Trump is not the first U.S. president to show interest in Greenland, though he is arguably the first to speak of capturing it by force. The United States considered purchasing Greenland in 1867 and again in 1946, but these plans never materialized. Even afterward, efforts did not cease, and successive presidents continued attempts to bring Greenland under American control. From a national security perspective, acquiring Greenland is crucial for the U.S. because growing Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic could pose a threat. Experts believe that Trump’s interest is also driven by the island’s vast size and symbolic power. Moreover, Greenland holds extraordinary importance in terms of natural resources. It contains uranium, gold, oil, gas, and large deposits of rare earth minerals. According to the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, the country is rich in rare metals, including seventeen elements used in drones, electric vehicles, and fighter jets—vital for modern technology and defense industries. Greenland also possesses graphite, lithium, and copper reserves amounting to about 0.75 percent of global deposits. Lithium, a key component of batteries, is expected to see its demand increase eightfold by 2040. At present, China dominates the global minerals market, and these reserves could be critical for countries seeking to reduce dependence on China—something the U.S. is already striving to achieve. By now, the answer should be clear as to why America wants control over Greenland. This is a war over resources and dominance. In earlier eras, grain, livestock, and even women were considered resources; today, the resources are different. Denmark and Europe will not easily allow Greenland to fall into American hands. Denmark is increasing its military presence there, while Germany, France, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Britain, and the Netherlands have sent troops for Denmark’s “Arctic Resilience” military exercises. Under such conditions, the risk of confrontation is growing, and for the first time since World War II, Europe and the U.S. appear to be drifting apart. Retreat on issues like Iran will be hard for Trump, and now Greenland and Denmark are showing resistance. In the future, the world may be composed of large empires and their client states. What will be our place in such a world? Our elite will need to decide wisely. The United States has historically opposed adventurism, yet this time it seems to have chosen that role itself. Many Americans consider this their right, and those familiar with the concept of “Manifest Destiny” know that this narrative has long been used as propaganda to justify American imperial dominance. Like earlier adventures, this American gamble will also end no differently—the adventurer will face defeat, and future generations will read about it in the pages of history. But this path is drenched in blood and will undoubtedly reshape the world’s geography. May God protect us all. Is this conversation helpful so far?
By Hashim Khan 2 days ago in History
The Retreating Left
Democratic Socialism, Anarchism, and Left Communism are variations of the same failure. Each represents a retreat from the inherited legacy of communism and the revolutionary left. These three ideologies are idealist, Eurocentric, and petty bourgeois. They emerged in our context as different strategies of retreat — positions I once inhabited but no longer do. Through these three ideologies I carried variations of similar bourgeois fears about Marxism-Leninism. I followed multiple paths during my time on the left. Each promised a way forward. Three led to retreat. One did not.
By Victor Zemprano2 days ago in History
'Go' is an ancient Chinese game that archaeologists have found stones from.
Over a thousand years ago, game pieces from the ancient Chinese board game "Go" were interred together. An examination of these "Go stones" reveals that they are made of expertly carved porcelain, smoke-blackened clay, or shell material.
By Francis Dami2 days ago in History
The world's oldest hunting traps may consist of four massive stone constructions.
Four enormous stone funnel systems that archaeologists have discovered provide the most convincing proof of extensive prehistoric hunting traps in Europe to date.
By Francis Dami2 days ago in History
The Future of Bitcoin: Where the World’s Most Famous Cryptocurrency Is Headed
Bitcoin began as a mysterious experiment in 2009. Created by an unknown person (or group) under the name Satoshi Nakamoto, it was introduced as a new kind of money — decentralized, digital, and independent of governments and banks.
By Ghalib Khan2 days ago in History
When Truth Learned to Whisper. AI-Generated.
When Truth Learned to Whisper In the small town of Mirzaabad, people spoke freely, too freely. Gossip was like air—unseen yet everywhere. The truth, bold and loud, once roamed these streets without fear, leaving nothing hidden. But over time, the people grew weary of its harshness. Truth was blunt; it hurt, it shattered, it embarrassed. So one day, it vanished. Not entirely, but it learned to whisper.
By Samaan Ahmad2 days ago in History
From Small Steps to Great Heights
When people spoke about Daniel Harper’s success, they usually mentioned the awards, the thriving technology company he founded, and the speeches he gave to thousands of inspired listeners. What they did not see were the early mornings, the quiet disappointments, and the determination that shaped his journey long before anyone knew his name.
By NAIB REHMAN2 days ago in History
Looking Back:The Folly of the March for Life Fiasco: How Not to Write on a Contentious Topic
A "Pithy" Writer Makes His Opinions Known The fiasco at the 2019 March for Life—and concurrent demonstrations in the National Mall—was bound to have a consequence. As soon as a viral, one-minute video hit Twitter in late January, the tale of two opposing groups confronting one another became political fodder. Pundits and political writers were more than happy to dissect and formulate a narrative to their liking.
By Dean Traylor2 days ago in History
The "Demon Core": The two days in history when a sphere of plutonium "ticked" like a bomb.
The blue light didn’t flicker; it pulsed, a silent, electric scream that filled the room for a heartbeat before vanishing into the humid New Mexico night. Harry Daghlian didn’t scream. He didn’t even move at first. He just stood there in the heavy silence of the Omega Site, his hand hovering over a stack of tungsten carbide bricks, feeling a sudden, metallic tang on the back of his tongue. It tasted like pennies and ozone. It was the flavor of a death sentence.
By The Chaos Cabinet3 days ago in History
The Cold War:
The Cold War began not with a battle, but with a silence heavy with fear. In 1945, the Second World War ended, leaving two superpowers standing above the ruins: the United States and the Soviet Union. They had fought as allies, but their visions for the future could not coexist. One championed democracy and free markets, the other communism and state control. Between them stood nuclear weapons—tools so destructive that war itself became unthinkable. This uneasy standoff reshaped the world. Europe was split by ideology, symbolized by the Iron Curtain and later the Berlin Wall. Nations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America became battlegrounds for influence rather than direct conquest. Korea was divided by force, Vietnam by decades of bloodshed. Each conflict was local, but the consequences were global, watched closely by leaders who feared that a single misstep could ignite nuclear war. At the heart of the Cold War was deterrence. Both sides built vast nuclear arsenals, enough to destroy civilization many times over. This balance of terror became known as Mutually Assured Destruction. Peace was preserved not by trust, but by fear. The most dangerous moment came in 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world stood closer to nuclear war than ever before. Soviet missiles placed in Cuba, just miles from the United States, triggered a tense standoff between President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev. For thirteen days, the fate of humanity hung on secret negotiations and restrained decisions. When the crisis ended peacefully, it revealed a terrifying truth: survival depended on calm leadership and sheer luck. In response, communication lines were opened, arms control treaties signed, and rules slowly established to prevent accidental catastrophe, though the threat never disappeared. The Cold War was not only fought with weapons, but with ideas, technology, and symbols. The Space Race sent satellites, animals, and humans beyond Earth, turning the sky into a new frontier of rivalry. Propaganda shaped public opinion, while espionage thrived in the shadows. Scientific advances transformed daily life, from computers to nuclear energy, even as fear of annihilation lingered in school drills and underground shelters. By the 1980s, economic strain and political reform began to weaken the Soviet system. In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, not by missiles, but by people. Two years later, the Soviet Union collapsed, and the Cold War ended without a final shot fired. Yet its legacy remains. Nuclear weapons still exist, global tensions persist, and the lessons of that era endure. The Cold War proved that humanity could stand on the edge of self-destruction—and step back, just in time.
By Talhakhan3 days ago in History
The Titanic: A Tragic Tale of Ambition and Loss. Content Warning. AI-Generated.
The RMS Titanic, once heralded as the largest, most luxurious ship in the world, set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City in April 1912, but it tragically sank after hitting an iceberg, leading to the deaths of over 1,500 people. While the disaster remains one of the most well-known maritime tragedies, the Titanic itself continues to captivate the imagination, symbolizing both human ambition and the unpredictability of fate.
By georgesu alex marian3 days ago in History
Walter Bruckner, Austria’s last glass teddy bear eye maker.
Back in 1998, J-Me and I met Walter Bruckner at his home in Kremsmunster, Austria while researching bead factories in Europe. He and his brother Erich were only making Teddy Bear eyes, having stopped making lampwork beads in 1984 due to a decrease in business. He did show us a closet stuffed full of sample cards from his parents bead business dating back to before World War 2 when they all lived in Gablonz, Czechoslavakia, but would not part with any. We were able to purchase a few leftover beads he had in a drawer. Other than the cards, we had no interest in his glass eye production and we left, losing contact with Walter, but not forgetting him.
By Guy lynn3 days ago in History