Trump’s latest statements about Greenland after the military intervention in Venezuela and his expansionist foreign policy should worry Europe. In the long run, the issue of Greenland could be what drives Europe and the US apart.
Donald Trump wants to build a triumphal arch in Washington, D.C. The idea is to have it ready in time for the 250th anniversary of the United States this summer.
Triumphal arches began to be built during the days of the Roman Empire to celebrate military successes and conquests. In Rome, the Arch of Titus was built after the conquest of Jerusalem, and in Paris, Napoleon had one built after his victory in the Battle of Austerlitz.
Whether Trump’s triumphal arch is for the same kind of celebration is unclear, but his claim to Greenland and his desire for expansion are sending shivers across the Atlantic and in Greenland.
“Stop the threats”
The latest move to make Greenland American has caused Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen to react sharply.
“I want to urge the US to stop the threats against a historically close ally,” she writes on social media.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen writes in a comment that “enough is enough” and calls the moves disrespectful. The Greenlanders themselves have grown tired of American interest and have repeatedly said that they are not for sale.
But that does not seem to be bothering the Trump administration.
Already have access to Greenland
According to Danish military personnel, the US already has access to Greenland, and Denmark has also been a loyal ally that has stood by faithfully.
The Greenlanders themselves have said that they are happy to cooperate with the US but want to be treated with respect. However, there is concern that something could happen.
Last year, the Pentagon decided that Greenland should be under the North American command structure – not the European one. The US consulate is currently expanding in Nuuk and there is concern about influence operations ahead of a possible referendum on independence.
Denmark has stepped up its military presence in Greenland and the intelligence service points to the US as a threat.
“Make America great again”
The US-Greenland-Denmark triangle drama puts the transatlantic link at its peak.
Because what will NATO and the EU do if the US actually takes action and annexes Greenland? Not much, some say, the US-Europe divorce would then be definitive.
By taking Greenland, the US would gain sole access to important sea routes and the rare earth metals found under the ice sheet. The North Atlantic would be controlled, without European interference.
But above all, an American flag on Greenland would have made the US geographically larger, a new conquest, perhaps just in time for the 250th anniversary and that
