165. Greenlanders are turning Red
No, the red here does not refer to the comrades or communists; it signifies anger.
Donald Trump has frequently asserted that the US should take control of Greenland, citing national security as the primary reason. Trump says US ownership of the island was psychologically necessary.
Although Trump’s assertion that Greenland is full of Chinese and Russian ships everywhere is clearly an exaggeration.
Right now, the EU and NATO members face a difficult situation. Greenland, a self-governing part of Denmark, is not a member of either organization. Nevertheless, because Denmark is a NATO member, the alliance’s protections extend to Greenland.
According to Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, a US attack on Greenland—effectively one member turning on another—would end NATO. And he is correct.
Greenland’s economy depends significantly on yearly subsidies from Denmark, which amounted to approximately €530 million last year. These subsidies fund around half of the territory’s public expenditures and make up roughly 20 percent of its GDP.
European leaders are struggling to craft a clear strategy to deter Trump or to respond effectively if he acts, and no such plan has yet been put in place.
The EU, comprising over 450 million people, holds significant economic influence in the US market and could retaliate by banning European purchases of US government bonds, goods, and services.
But that will not happen because Europe relies on US tech companies across a wide range of sectors, and Europe remains at the mercy of American goodwill.
In my view, the best option is to deploy European troops to the island as a signal of Europe’s commitment to Greenland’s territorial integrity. France’s foreign minister has already floated the prospect of deploying a French military contingent.
A US military action against the EU could severely undermine defense partnerships, disrupt markets, and diminish global confidence in the US.
Denmark has started lobbying U.S. lawmakers, with diplomatic efforts partly aimed at addressing U.S. security concerns by emphasizing that the 1951 U.S.-Danish defense treaty, revised in 2004, already allows for a substantial expansion of the American military presence on the island, including the creation of new bases.
The U.S. Department of Defense manages the remote Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. It provides support for missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance activities for both the U.S. and NATO.
The poor Greenlandic government has little to say.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and, within the Danish Commonwealth, NATO is responsible for Greenland's defense. Come what may.
It is beyond anyone’s guess why Trump has made it an issue, when the U.S. military can increase its presence there to fight the enemy, including China and Russia, if he finds their presence is growing.
But logic finds no place in Trump’s dictionary, as he is hell-bent on troubling the world. The sad part is that three years are still left to watch his tyranny.