Why Does Donald Trump Want Greenland?

Summary

Summary of NPR Politics Podcast Episode: "Why Does Donald Trump Want Greenland?"

Release Date: March 27, 2025

The NPR Politics Podcast delves into the intriguing and somewhat perplexing topic of former President Donald Trump's renewed interest in annexing Greenland. Hosted by Susan Davis, with contributions from White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram and national security expert Greg Myhre, the episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the motivations, implications, and international reactions surrounding this geopolitical maneuver.

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1. Introduction to Trump's Green Greenland Ambition

Susan Davis opens the discussion by highlighting that Trump's propositions regarding Greenland are not entirely new but have gained unprecedented seriousness within the current administration. The episode aims to explore the underlying reasons for this interest and the broader geopolitical context.

Notable Quote:

"This is not a new idea. Trump floated it during his first term. But what's different this time is just how seriously the Trump administration is talking about such a move." — Susan Davis [00:56]

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2. Motivations Behind U.S. Interest in Greenland

Greg Myhre outlines three primary reasons driving U.S. interest in Greenland:

• Mineral Wealth: Greenland is rich in untapped minerals like cobalt, nickel, and lithium, essential for batteries, cell phones, and electric vehicles. These resources are pivotal for both civilian and military applications.

• Strategic Arctic Seaways: Climate change has been melting Arctic ice, opening previously inaccessible sea routes. The U.S. is keen on securing these navigable pathways, especially with Russia asserting dominance in the region.

• Military Presence: The historical context of the U.S. military base in Greenland, established during World War II, plays a crucial role. The base, equipped with radar systems, is vital for detecting potential nuclear threats from Russia or China.

Notable Quotes:

"Greenland is absolutely massive, and a lot of that has not been mined at this point. It has a lot of these key minerals." — Greg Myhre [01:25]

"China has been very aggressive in getting access to rare earth minerals both inside China and in other parts of the globe." — Greg Myhre [02:58]

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3. Administration's Actions and Public Assertions

Deepa Shivaram discusses recent developments where high-ranking officials, including the Vice President and Second Lady, embarked on a trip to Greenland. The initial agenda appeared cultural, involving attendance at the national dog sled race. However, the itinerary shifted towards visits to U.S. military bases, signaling a more strategic and assertive agenda.

Notable Quote:

"Trump, like you said, has been talking about taking Greenland for a while now...and he never stops talking about it." — Deepa Shivaram [04:09]

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4. Contradictions in U.S. Foreign Policy

The podcast highlights the seeming contradiction in the Trump administration's approach to Greenland. On one hand, there's an expansionist agenda hinting at annexation, while on the other, there’s rhetoric promoting "America First" and a more isolationist stance concerning European alliances.

Notable Quote:

"It's something that he's just made so, so public. Like, even in his first address, the joint adjust to Congress... he said something along the lines of, you're going to have it one way or another when he was talking about Greenland." — Deepa Shivaram [04:09]

Greg Myhre further elaborates on this inconsistency by pointing out Trump's criticisms of NATO and European contributions to their own security, juxtaposed with the desire to increase U.S. involvement in Greenland.

Notable Quote:

"It's hard to sort this out...do you want to distance yourself from Europe...or does the US want to become more involved by annexing Greenland." — Greg Myhre [05:42]

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5. International Reactions and Diplomatic Protocols

The episode underscores the negative reception from Greenland and Denmark regarding the U.S. officials' uninvited visit. Typically, such international trips involve meticulous planning and mutual invitations, which were notably absent in this case.

Deepa Shivaram explains that the vice president's team received invitations specifically for the dog sled race, but the subsequent shift to visiting a military base without formal invitations from Greenlandic or Danish leaders was perceived as aggressive.

Notable Quote:

"This is happening and people in Greenland are not happy that the vice president and second lady are coming." — Deepa Shivaram [10:19]

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6. Historical Context and Modern Implications

Greg Myhre draws parallels between Trump's annexation talks and historical U.S. territorial expansions, noting that such actions are reminiscent of a bygone era. He emphasizes that Greenland, now a semi-autonomous part of Denmark, operates independently in domestic affairs, with Denmark handling foreign policy and defense.

The podcast raises critical questions about the feasibility and ethical considerations of annexing an autonomous region, including representation in Congress, social benefits, and healthcare provisions for Greenland's residents.

Notable Quote:

"Trump seems to be really talking about something that's from a bygone era." — Greg Myhre [13:47]

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7. Potential Outcomes and Future Developments

As the episode concludes, the hosts speculate on the possible future of U.S.-Denmark relations and the broader implications for European alliances. They ponder whether the administration's aggressive stance could lead to diplomatic strains or if it might open avenues for increased cooperation in specific sectors like mining and tourism.

Greg Myhre also points out observable real-world consequences of Trump's policies, such as Europe's increasing independence in defense matters, exemplified by France hosting a significant meeting without U.S. involvement.

Notable Quote:

"But Europe is already responding to Trump's calls for it to take care of its own defense." — Greg Myhre [15:34]

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8. Conclusion

The NPR Politics Podcast provides a nuanced exploration of Donald Trump's interest in Greenland, placing it within the larger framework of U.S. foreign policy, international relations, and global strategic interests. The discussion highlights the complexities and potential ramifications of such geopolitical moves, emphasizing the need for careful observation of future developments.

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Hosts:

• Susan Davis: Covers politics.
• Deepa Shivaram: Covers the White House.
• Greg Myhre: Covers national security.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the NPR Politics Podcast episode titled "Why Does Donald Trump Want Greenland?" aiming to inform listeners about the multifaceted reasons behind the U.S. administration's interest in Greenland and the ensuing geopolitical implications.

Transcript

[Carvana]

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[Christina]

This is Christina from Glen Ellen, Illinois. We are in the middle of false spring here in the Midwest. Yesterday I was in a T shirt and today it's snowing. This podcast was recorded at 12:20pm on Wednesday, March 27. Things may have changed by the time you hear this, but I am really hoping we get back to warmer weather by the end of this podcast. My heart goes out to you. Me, too. I hate that false spring. But you get all the promise in the sunshine and then you got to get out the winter jacket again.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The spring of Deception.

[Christina]

Hey there. It's the NPR Politics podcast. I'm Susan Davis. I cover politics.

[Deepa Shivaram]

I'm Deepa Shivaram. I cover the White House.

[Greg]

It's Greg.

[Greg Myhre]

And I'm Greg Myhre. I cover national security.

[Christina]

And today on the show, a look at why President Trump is so interested in annexing Greenland. This is not a new idea. Trump floated it during his first term. But what's different this time is just how seriously the Trump administration is talking about such a move. The vice president, second lady, and other administration officials are headed to Greenland to visit a US Military base in the northern part of the country. Greg, let's start with the big picture here. Why is the US So interested in acquiring Greenland?

[Greg Myhre]

Well, I think we could point to three reasons. One is minerals. Greenland has a lot of them. It's the biggest island in the world. It's got a lot of stuff that has not been mined, things like cobalt nickel, lithium. Now, these are things we use in batteries, cell phones, electric vehicles. So civilian and military uses. This is the thing that seems to animate Trump the most. He does bring this up when he talks about green. And a second thing would be Arctic seaways. Climate change means there's less ice in the Arctic. Some of the previously unnavigable sea lanes are now opening up. Russia is considered the real leader in this, so the US Is somewhat concerned for security reasons. Number three is the military presence. Really interesting history here. The US has had a military base in Greenland Since World War II after the Nazis seized Denmark. Greenland, which was a colony of Denmark at that time, was defenseless all on its own. The US set up a base there during World War II. That base is now in the far northwest in the Arctic Circle. It is largely a radar system that would detect the launch of nuclear weapons from Russia or China, which would travel over the Arctic and perhaps the US Would be interested in expanding it.

[Christina]

Greg, I have a specific question about the minerals. Is there also potentially a China nexus there as the US Seeks to be less reliant on China for those kinds of resources?

[Greg Myhre]

Oh, absolutely. China has been very aggressive in getting access to rare earth minerals both inside China and in other parts of the globe, making deals and mining deals in particular around the world. The US Seems to have lagged behind in a number of places. So this is a place that's really untapped. Again, Greenland is absolutely massive, and a lot of that has not been mined at this point. It has a lot of these key minerals. So catching up with China or not being as vulnerable and dependent on China would be a big part of the equation.

[Christina]

Deepa, just yesterday, President Trump was talking about acquiring Greenland in the Oval Office. This is what he said.

[Greg Myhre]

We need Greenland for national security and international security. So we'll, I think we'll go as.

[Carvana]

Far as we have to go.

[Greg Myhre]

We need Greenland and the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark.

[Carvana]

Has to have us have Greenland.

[Christina]

Important note here, Deepa. Neither Denmark nor Greenland want the US to take control of the island. How does this attitude from Trump align with other attitudes towards foreign policy and sort of the relationship with other countries in the world?

[Deepa Shivaram]

Yeah, I would say, like just off the bat, I mean, foreign policy in a Joe Biden administration, for example, or a different administration, you know, a lot of it happens behind the scenes. So much of the negotiations and the handshakes and the deal breaking all happens like in a very not public sphere. Right. And in a Trump administration, it's like all of it happens right out loud. And so you're seeing this sort of like back and forth, if you want to call it that, in a very public setting. And it's just interesting because Trump, like you said, has been talking about taking Greenland for a while now. And it's something that he's just made so, so public. Like even in his first address, the joint adjust to Congress that happened earlier this month, he said something along the lines of, you going to have it one way or another when he was talking about Greenland. And it just has been this shift of like, okay, we're not really sure if he means this. And then he never stops talking about it. And now he's really sort of shifted his tone to make it really about international security, talking about Russia and China, talking about how it is a need to keep troops safe and keep the region safe. And that has been the expanded rhetoric that he's been using. This is a topic that has come up again and again and again.

[Christina]

You could say he can't let it go. Greg, there's something to me very contradictory here in that the concept of this is sort of American expansion and that seems to run very counter to the sort of America first isolation argument that the Trump administration ran and won on. And also at the same time an administration that's taking a much more hostile position towards European allies.

[Greg Myhre]

Yeah, absolutely. And as you say, it is hard to sort this out. As soon as Trump came into office, he again continued his criticisms of Europe and NATO, saying Europe and NATO are not contributing enough. They need to provide for their own security. And what got a lot of attention was when Vice President Vance went to the Munich security conference last month and gave a very harsh speech directed toward Europe. And it wasn't just about security cooperation between the US And Europe. He talked about their immigration policies and was very critical of their democracies, of their security. And yet at the same time, Trump invented are talking about this expansionist approach to Greenland that they want Greenland, which again is a semi autonomous part of a European country. So it's kind of which is it do you want to distance yourself from Europe and leave Europe and its own security to its own devices, or does the US Want to become more involved by annexing Greenland, as Trump keeps talking about? So it's somewhat a mixed message and JD Vance has kind of been at the center of this message as well as Trump.

[Christina]

All right, let's take a quick break and we'll talk more about this when we get back.

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[Greg Myhre]

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[Christina]

And we're back. And Deepa, let's talk a little bit more about the details of this trip. Can you say what we know about the itinerary and what the intent of it is?

[Deepa Shivaram]

Yeah. So basically this all unfolded in the past five days, I would say. On Sunday, the White House announced that second lady Usha Vance was going to travel to Greenland with one of her young sons, and they were going to go on a cultural trip, essentially, like look at Greenlandic heritage and go to cultural sites. They were going to attend the national dog sled race in Greenland, which is a really big deal. It involves like 400 dogs. And that sort of came across as like a, okay, we're just kind of going to see the sights trip. At the same time, Mike Waltz, who's the president's national security advisor, was going to go to visit a US Military base. As a separate thing, there was going to be a U.S. delegation coming. All of this was happening without really an invite from, you know, political leaders in Greenland or Denmark. And the Greenlandic prime minister, you know, reacted and said it was very aggressive of US Officials to come visit. They did not take it well. There was a lot of negative reaction to all of it. And the vice president, J.D. vance, posted a video on social media and that sort of upended things. And he said that he was going to visit with his wife. They were no longer going to the dog race. They're going to visit a space force base in Greenland and meet with service members there on Friday. And so that's the current itinerary. It's sort of shifted from this cultural visit to simply going to the US Base.

[Christina]

There's I mean, protocol is a side issue here. But Deepa, I do think it's worth noting that it is very unusual for the US to announce a visit to a country to which they have not been invited to. Normally. There's a ton of protocol and pomp and circumstance around these types of International trips.

[Deepa Shivaram]

No, this is, like, I think, safe to say, very upside down. This is not how it's typically done if you visit, if, you know, when we as reporters travel with the president or vice president to a different country, just in terms of what's going to happen when they're on the ground, there's all these logistics down to who is, is greeting the president or vice president and their team on the tarmac when Air Force One or Air Force Two arrives. There's a lot of detail and planning that goes into it, including an invitation from the host country. In this case, it's not exactly clear what the invites were. I will say the president said earlier this week that people in Greenland were asking the US to come and asking US Officials to come. He was saying they're asking us. We're not, we're not telling them or anything. It's not really clear who those invites were coming from. But I did confirm from the vice president's office that second lady Usha Vance received, quote, multiple invitations to attend the dog sled race. The head of the dog sledding association had asked her to wave the flag to open the race. And so that was an invite. Whether there were more invites than that is a little bit unclear. But in the context of all of this, this is happening and people in Greenland are not happy that the vice president and second lady are coming.

[Christina]

Greg, one of the things I'm stuck here is that it's kind of funny in a way that annexation is the focus because it's not like the US doesn't have a very long history of creating military treaties with allies to basically get the result that Trump is seeking from the idea of buying Greenland. Like, aren't there other ways?

[Greg Myhre]

Absolutely. You know, there's, there's been that base there for, for decades. US has military bases all over Europe. And officials in both Denmark and Greenland, journalists, others say that Greenland is open, an expanded US Presence. In fact, they've even raised other issues where they would welcome more US Involvement. Mining, as we mentioned, but tourism, fishing. So there's absolutely no opposition to a U.S. presence or expanded presence in Greenland. But Denmark and Greenland say it should be done in a way that's mutual and that shouldn't be done through pressure. This talk of annexation. So that's the real head scratcher here. And then it kind of mirrors what we're also seeing with Trump talking about Canada becoming the 51st state or reclaiming the Panama Canal, this sort of sense of taking over places that are absolutely friendly and cooperative and have A long standing good relationship with the United States.

[Christina]

I mean, historically speaking, the US has, has expanded its territory over the years. So the concept of it isn't entirely new. But the idea of this, to me, I just think about in the modern context, it raises just so many issues of acquiring an island and having to represent people. Like, from my vantage point, you're like, does that mean that Greenland would get representatives in Congress? Right. Do they have to be offered Social Security benefits? Do they have to provide them health care? The logistics of a modern day land acquisition and the people that inhabit it are not as simple as I think maybe Trump is making it out to seem like, oh, we'll just annex Greenland and everything will be great.

[Greg Myhre]

Yeah, that all just sort of ended really with World War II as European powers gave up their colonies and those became independent nations. And in fact, that's what happened here. Greenland was long a colony of Denmark, and then I believe in the 1950s, again shortly after World War II, it became this semi autonomous place. It runs its own affairs domestically. Denmark is still responsible for foreign policy and defense in Greenland. But Trump seems to be really talking about something that's from a bygone era.

[Christina]

Deepa, I wish you were gonna get to go as pool on this trip. Cause it was.

[Deepa Shivaram]

Dude, I wish that too. I was really gunning for the dog sledding portion as well. Like. Like send me to Greenland. That's a great story.

[Christina]

I don't know what to watch for next in this saga, and I think saga is the right word to describe this, but I imagine that one thing to be watching is how the US Continues to sort of deal with Denmark on a diplomatic sense. Like, will they be invited here for a White House state dinner, for instance?

[Deepa Shivaram]

Yeah, I was going to say, honestly, hard to say. And especially, as you know, we've been talking about in this podcast, the way the Trump administration facilitates their foreign policy is not often something that you can pinpoint or predict because the way Trump interacts is just so different than how foreign policy is typically done, like we mentioned earlier. So I don't know, to be honest with you, and I could see this going both ways, where it somehow gets, you know, a little bit more receptive and friendly. We've seen leaders in Denmark respond to the updated itinerary, if you will, from JD Vance and Usha Vance. And they're okay with the fact that they're visiting the US Military base rather than going to the dog sledding, you know, competition. But it could also, you know, really go the other direction. And I feel it could get maybe, you know, more contentious and more aggressive. So we'll just have to wait and see.

[Greg Myhre]

And I'll just make a related point. Today, France is hosting 30 European countries and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to talk about supporting Ukraine, the future of Ukraine. Now, in the past, under the Biden administration, this would have have probably been the monthly meeting led by the US to talk about Ukraine. But Europe is already responding to Trump's calls for it to take care of its own defense. So this is a meeting with all of the major European nations and the Ukrainian leadership, but the US Is not part of it. So we're already seeing real world consequences based on Trump's statements about how he plans to deal with Europe.

[Christina]

Yeah, it's pretty remarkable.

[Deepa Shivaram]

All right.

[Christina]

We'll leave it there for today. I'm Susan Davis. I cover politics.

[Deepa Shivaram]

I'm Deepa Shivaram. I cover the White House.

[Greg Myhre]

And I'm Greg Myrey. I cover national security.

[Christina]

And thanks for listening to the NPR Politics podcast.

[Greg]

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