
As Head of state Donald Trump makes an extremely public initiative to get Greenland, one previous Danish authorities claimed Trump’s efforts are absolutely nothing brand-new– however he should not anticipate it to be simple. Passion in purchasing Greenland has actually “turned up every now and then in American national politics,” Tom Høyem, Denmark’s preacher to Greenland from 1982 to 1987, informed ABC Information in a meeting.
Høyem, 83, talked about Greenland’s political significance for many years, along with his response to Trump’s current need to acquire the island area.
” Trump is residing in a story where this has actually been a concern for the last 150 years,” Høyem claimed.
The acquisition of Greenland has actually been a subject of discussion considering that prior to The second world war, when Denmark marketed the Danish West Indies– currently called the united state Virgin Islands– to the USA in 1917 for $25 million, Høyem claimed. Lots of American policymakers suggested the united state ought to likewise get Greenland too, according to Høyem.
“[President] Woodrow Wilson initially claimed, ‘No, it’s unworthy anything. It’s simply ice. I do not desire it.’ However there was such a large argument in the united state that he was compelled to do something,” Høyem claimed.
When Wilson requested for possession of Greenland, the Danish preacher at the time responded, “No,” according to Høyem. Wilson authorized an arrangement in 1917 specifying the USA identifies Greenland as Danish, Høyem claimed.
In the document discussing the transfer of the Danish West Indies, then-Secretary of State Robert Lansing composed, “In preceding now to the trademark of the Convention appreciating the cessation of the Danish West-Indian Island to the USA of America, the undersigned Assistant of State of the USA of America, properly accredited by his Federal government, has the honor to state that the Federal government of the USA of America will certainly not challenge the Danish Federal government prolonging their political and financial rate of interests to the entire of Greenland.”

A sight of Pituffik Room Base (previously Thule Air Base) in Greenland, Oct. 4, 2023.
Ritzau Scanpix by means of Reuters, DOCUMENTS
If Denmark was to ever before offer Greenland to any kind of nation, Høyem claimed the UK would certainly obtain the initial right to acquire it, considering that the U.K. held dominance over Canada at the time of the treaty.
” Canada is just 20 kilometers away. That’s why the British claimed, ‘If Denmark ever before markets Greenland, we need to be the initial to choose whether to take it or otherwise,'” Høyem informed ABC Information.
Currently, with Trump stating he intends to acquire Greenland, Høyem claimed background is duplicating itself.
” Trump matured listening to these tales,” Høyem claimed. “His generation and his moms and dads’ generation typically read about united state tries to acquire Greenland.”
Trump has actually continuously revealed his rate of interest in obtaining the island area, starting throughout his initial management when he shopped Greenland, however rather offered $12 million for financial advancement. Trump has actually considering that reiterated his rate of interest in purchasing the area quickly prior to his 2nd launch.
” For objectives of National Safety and security and Liberty throughout the Globe, the USA of America really feels that the possession and control of Greenland is an outright requirement,” Trump claimed in a December 2024 declaration.
Trump claimed the acquisition was required for safety and security objectives, including he is “securing the totally free globe.” The united state likewise runs Putiffik Room Base, the Protection Division’s northern-most base, which rests on the coastline of Greenland.
” You have around 45,000 individuals there. Individuals actually do not also recognize if Denmark has any kind of lawful right to it,” Trump claimed, without description, throughout a Jan. 7 interview at Mar-a-Lago. “However if they do, they need to offer it up due to the fact that we require it for nationwide safety and security. That’s for the totally free globe.”
Greenland is likewise abundant in useful minerals, consisting of uncommon planet steels, rare-earth elements, gemstones, and uranium, according to the united state Division of Business’sInternational Trade Association While that might appear interesting a prospective purchaser, Høyem claimed mining there is very pricey.

An airplane lugging business owner Donald Trump Jr. gets here in Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 7, 2025.
Emil Stach/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP by means of Getty Imagees
Trump’s boy, Donald Trump, Jr., saw Greenland on Jan. 7, however mentioned the go to was for individual factors. Throughout this journey, his papa claimed on social media sites, “Don. Jr. and my Representatives touchdown in Greenland. The function has actually been terrific. They, and the Free Globe, require security, safety and security, stamina and tranquility! This is a bargain that needs to take place.”
Assistant of State Marco Rubio likewise repeated a passion in the united state safeguarding Greenland throughout his Us senate verification hearings.
” Depositing all things that are taking place in the media, I assume we require to recognize that Greenland’s been tactically crucial to the USA and to the West for a long time,” Rubio claimed. “I assume we currently have the possibility to see it of what it is, which is one, otherwise one of the most crucial, among one of the most crucial components of everywhere the following 50 to 100 years will certainly be whether there’s mosting likely to be liberty of navigating in the Arctic and what that will certainly imply for worldwide profession and business.”
Høyem claimed he does not recognize Trump, however assumes “he requires to be oriented a little bit a lot more by his civil slaves.”
” His brand-new preacher of international events talked to the Danish international preacher– my event leader and good friend– and they both concurred: ‘Allow’s not go over Greenland in the meantime,'” Høyem claimed.
The head of state of Greenland, Múte Egsede, has actually denied the concept of marketing Greenland to Trump, stating, “Greenland is ours.”
” We are except sale and will certainly never ever be up for sale,” Egsede claimed in a declaration. “We should not shed our lengthy battle for liberty.”

Donald Trump Jr. check outs Nuuk, Greenland, Jan. 7, 2025.
Emil Stach/Ritzau Scanpix by means of AP
Authorities from Denmark likewise have actually not sustained Trump’s Greenmark proposition, consisting of Danish political leader Anders Vistisen, that clearly advised the recently chosen head of state to “f– off.”
” Greenland has actually become part of the Danish kingdom for 800 years,” Vistisen claimed throughout a European Parliament conference on Jan. 21 in Strasbourg, France. “It’s an incorporated component of our nation. It is except sale.”
Høyem claimed if Greenland made a decision to come to be independent, “they would instantly be targeted by significant worldwide powers.” Till after that, Høyem claimed the area requires even more united state armed forces financial investment to aid protect it.
” I directly can not think of Greenland coming to be completely independent,” Høyem claimed. “Running a nation that big with so couple of individuals is almost difficult.”
No matter the future of Trump’s Greenland proposition, Høyem claimed the land holds considerable power.
” Trump may have considered Greenland as a property offer, but also for Denmark and Greenland, it refers geopolitical survival,” Høyem claimed. “The Arctic is very crucial, and I concur with Trump on that particular.”