Why Greenland Keeps Rejecting America's Advances

Summary

What A Day – "Why Greenland Keeps Rejecting America's Advances"

Podcast: What A Day (Crooked Media)
Host: Jane Coaston
Date: January 21, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode revolves around the United States’ peculiar, long-standing obsession with acquiring Greenland—most recently intensifying under President Trump’s renewed efforts—and the political, diplomatic, and historical reasons Greenland repeatedly resists. Jane Coaston unpacks the issue’s history, recent escalations, and global ramifications through an interview with Dr. Ronald Dole, expert on Cold War Arctic policy, professor at Florida State University, and co-editor of Exploring Cold War Science and Technology on Ice.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America’s Greenland Obsession—Recap & Fallout

• (00:42–02:52)
  • President Trump recently revived his interest in acquiring Greenland, making vague threats and referencing the island in an offbeat press conference.
  • Despite repeated denials from Denmark, Greenland, France, the UK, and mass protests in Greenland’s capital Nuuk, the US push continues.
  • Protests: Greenlanders rally with signs and satirical red hats reading “Make America go away.”
  • “Stocks are plummeting and Trump’s obsession... is putting NATO at risk, scrambling decades old alliances, and even putting European right wing parties on defense.” (Jane Coaston, 02:14)
  • Even American voters strongly oppose acquiring Greenland.

2. Greenland’s Relationship to Denmark & Desire for Autonomy

• (03:32–06:43) Interview: Ronald Dole
  • Greenland’s Landscape: Rugged, immense ice cap, treeless. US military history remains visible.
  • Population: Only ~57,000, “so many people in colonial-type relations chafed under some of the limitations,” but Danish welfare support is significant. Full independence remains a long-term aspiration but is constrained by economic realities.
  • “Greenlanders very recently, when asked to choose ... made clear they really preferred Denmark.” (Ronald Dole, 06:27)
  • Ongoing “ever greater autonomy” for Greenland, but support from Denmark helps mitigate “the sting of still having something of a colonial relationship.”

3. The US Pursuit of Greenland—A Century-Long Story

• (06:43–09:58)
  • The roots trace back to 1867 (post-Alaska “Seward’s Folly”), when Greenland was viewed as a resource-rich northern outpost—“another possible territory... valuable for fishing.”
  • Military importance grew in WWII and the Cold War. One official called Greenland “the world’s largest stationary aircraft carrier.”
  • President Truman offered Denmark $100 million for Greenland in the 1940s. Denmark (and Greenland) declined.
  • Other countries (esp. China) have shown interest in Greenland’s minerals, but not to the level of the current US campaign. Foreign activity has waned as mining prospects declined.

4. Trump’s Renewed Bid: Not Just History Repeating

• (09:58–11:22)
  • The current push is unique in its recklessness and the coalition it’s uniting against the US.
  • In the past, the US and Denmark “found ways to work things out.” Now, trust is “really... hammered.”
  • “Some politicians ... say the threat to Greenland is not coming from Russia, not coming from China, but coming from the US.” (Ronald Dole, 11:08)

5. The Stakes for NATO and International Order

• (11:22–12:28)
  • Dr. Dole cautions that harming the alliance could overturn “nearly eight decades worth of ways of operating... what would emerge out of that is uncertain.”
  • Unrest in alliances could inflame old European conflicts.

Memorable Quotes

• “Some protesters in Nuke even wore red hats that read ‘Make America go away,’ which is a great sign for American diplomacy.” (Jane Coaston, 02:00)
• “Greenland should be for the Greenlanders, not for the Americans.” (Nuuk protester, 01:57)
• “If the Greenlandic folk could become fully independent in an ideal world, that might be a high desire. But... the economic situation [and] support from Denmark ...are positives that mitigate ... the sting...” (Ronald Dole, 05:46)
• “The threat to Greenland is not coming from Russia, not coming from China, but coming from the US.” (Ronald Dole, 11:08)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:42–02:52 | Trump’s press conference, global and local fallout | | 03:32–06:43 | Greenlanders’ autonomy, relationship with Denmark | | 06:43–09:58 | Historical context: US attempts to acquire Greenland | | 09:58–11:22 | Difference in 2026: trust within alliances undermined | | 11:22–12:28 | Consequences for NATO, unpredictability of future |

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Additional Notable Moments

• Satirical Take on “Mom & Pop” Landlords:
  Coaston jokes about “normal mom and pops with their 10 to 12 homes” (00:33), highlighting the irony around recent US economic policy debates, setting the episode's wry tone.

• Direct Voices from Greenland:
  Protesters express an unequivocal desire to remain outside American control and maintain democratic processes (01:46–01:57).

• Plainspoken Critique of US Policy:
  Jane Coaston’s signature blend of analysis and dry wit—“Stocks are plummeting and Trump’s obsession... is putting NATO at risk…” (02:14)

• Strong Public and International Opposition:
  Even right-wing European parties, often aligned with US conservatives, oppose American acquisition of Greenland.

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a tight, in-depth look at why the “Greenland question” is not only about resource ambition or presidential eccentricity, but about local autonomy, post-colonial legacies, and the fragility of global alliances. Through Dr. Ronald Dole’s context and candid protester voices, listeners get a clear sense of why Greenland keeps saying no—and why that matters for everyone.

---

Host: Jane Coaston
Guest: Dr. Ronald Dole, Florida State University

[End of content summary.]

Transcript

[Jane Costen]

It's Wednesday, January 21st. I'm Jane Costen and this is what a Day. The show celebrating Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant for speaking up for the everyday retiree landlords who may be affected by the President's new quote, unquote affordability agenda.

[Ronald Dole]

We are going to give guidance at.

[Jane Costen]

Some point to see what is a.

[Ronald Dole]

Mom and pop that someone maybe your.

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Parents for their retirement.

[Jane Costen]

About 5, 10, 12 homes.

[Ronald Dole]

So we don't want to push the mom and pops out, we just want.

[Jane Costen]

To push everyone else out. Yes, everyday moms and pops with their 10 to 12 homes. You know, normal stuff. On today's show, Congress released the text of a new funding package to keep the government open. Yay. But it gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement $10 billion. Boo. And measles is back. Maybe the contagious disease that was once considered eliminated in the US Of A is having a record resurgence. But let's start with Greenland. We've sure been talking a lot about the world's largest island, haven't we? That's because as we've mentioned on this show, President Donald Trump is absolutely obsessed with obtaining Greenland by any means necessary. He made his latest vague threat on Tuesday during a very weird press conference, even by Trump standards, because for one thing, he also praised the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.

[Ronald Dole]

How far are you willing to go to acquire Greenland?

[Donald Trump]

You'll find out.

[Jane Costen]

But Trump's obsession with Greenland isn't new. Back in 2019, he made an offer to buy the island, but was told by Denmark and Greenland that it was not for sale. It still isn't, as Denmark, France, the United Kingdom and the good people of Greenland itself keep making incredibly clear. In fact, thousands of Greenlanders gathered in the capital city of Nuka on Saturday to send exactly that message. Here are two protesters Perspectives courtesy of Forbes. So Donald, we don't want to be Americans. We are Greenlanders and we want to be in a democratic world and we hope Americans, they will support us. I've never met an American who thinks anything other. Greenland should be free and Greenland should be for the Greenlanders, not for the Americans. Some protesters in Nuke even wore red hats that read Make America go away, which is a great sign for American diplomacy. But all of this insanity isn't just affecting Greenlanders though. Seriously, they do not want this. Stocks are plummeting and Trump's obsession with the semi autonomous region is putting NATO at risk, scrambling decades old alliances and even putting European right wing parties on defense. Because it turns out that actually even right wing anti liberals don't want America running Greenland. And have I mentioned that American voters oppose taking control of Greenland by like massive margins? So how did we get here? Well, as we've mentioned, Greenland is a part of Denmark and has been for a really, really long time. But this is not the first time the United States has expressed interest in the island. So to talk more about our long, weird relationship with an island I have learned more about in the last three weeks than in the 38 years I've been alive, I spoke to Ronald Dole. He's a professor at Florida State University and a co editor of Exploring Cold War Science and Technology on Ice. Ronald, welcome to what a day.

[Ronald Dole]

Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.

[Jane Costen]

You visited Greenland. Everything I know about Greenland is very recent. Or it's about the fact that Greenland isn't very green. So what's it like?

[Ronald Dole]

It's an extraordinary place to fly into if one's lucky, has a window seat. You look out over the immense ice cap and then start to see some rocks and local mountains coming up as the plane approaches the coast. And then it is a really rugged, almost in many places, treeless landscape. The old airport that used to be one of the US bases was relaxed enough that if you had time between flights, you could walk out of the airport, cross a small road and get pizza at a local shop across the way, or walk into the small town nearby or see an immense fast flowing stream of glacier water heading towards the ocean.

[Jane Costen]

There are about what, 57,000 people in Greenland. How do Greenlanders feel about their relationship with Denmark now? Have they pushed for complete independence? Has there been an independence movement previous to all of this?

[Ronald Dole]

The people in Greenland, like so many people who were in colonial type relations, chafed under some of the limitations, restrictions. At the same time, Denmark has continued to support the residents in Greenland with social services, with health service, with general levels of support parallel to what citizens in Denmark would receive. So it's a complicated, rich relationship. If the Greenlandic folk could become fully independent in an ideal world, that might be a high desire. But all that is mitigated by the limited resources available, the economic situation and just general, in that broadest sense, welfare support that is coming from Denmark, all those are positives that mitigate somewhat the sting of still having something of a colonial relationship. And of course, Greenland's been moving towards gaining ever greater autonomy over its affairs, certainly domestic affairs. And Greenlanders very recently, when asked to choose that the choice is between staying with Denmark or the United States, made clear they really preferred Denmark.

[Jane Costen]

The US first started talking about acquiring the Arctic island more than 100 years ago. Why have we historically been so interested in Greenland?

[Ronald Dole]

It's a really good question. Think back to 1867. It's just after the end of the U.S. civil War. Secretary of State Seward has negotiated to purchase Alaska.

[Jane Costen]

Yes, Seward's Folly.

[Ronald Dole]

Right. He's looking at the map and he's seeing, my gosh, there's yet another possible territory in the north that could be valuable, for instance, for fishing. So interest goes way back. And there were other attempts. Beginning of the 20th century, a kind of complicated land swap possibility with Denmark that didn't go through Greenland became really central to how the US Military was operating in the north during the key years of World War II. And that relationship solidified into the early Cold War. The Arctic, particularly at the very start of the Cold War, was seen as a potential theater of military operations. It was the closest distance one could travel to get from North America over to the Eurasian continent. And military experts, Pentagon planners, were really concerned war could break out. And if it did, it would be at least largely centered up in the Arctic. And having a facility in that region became really important. One description of Greenland that was given at the very early part part of the Cold War, the world's largest stationary aircraft carrier. Harry Truman was well aware of the value of Greenland, made an offer. Would Denmark relinquish Greenland for a payment of $100 million? Greenland very firmly then said no.

[Jane Costen]

So at what point do other countries start getting interested in Greenland themselves? And have there been other attempts to.

[Ronald Dole]

Just sees it not like what we are seeing in the past few years, since the Trump administration back in 2019 first started expressing interest in acquiring Greenland in some way. There are mineral deposits in Greenland that are potentially quite valuable for a number of industries, and those have been coveted by major industrial centers. China had wanted to gain a bit more access more than a decade ago, but uranium's no longer being mined, and there really hasn't been that much activity from other foreign actors in Greenland now for quite some years.

[Jane Costen]

You mentioned that this latest push by Trump differs from past attempts to acquire Greenland. So what's different this time?

[Ronald Dole]

A sense that maintaining the larger Western alliance, recognizing Denmark as one of the founding members of NATO, and wanting to keep good relations with Western Europe, all that was paramount. And the US And Danish authorities, they differed in what they sought to do for policy and activities in Greenland, but they figured out ways to work it out in the last, really just the last few months, that level of trust has really been hammered.

[Jane Costen]

I'll just ask is this the biggest threat Greenland has faced?

[Ronald Dole]

That's what a number of commentators have recently said. And certain politicians, the ones who just went on the mission to Copenhagen to talk directly with Danish officials, some of whom have access to briefings to know the larger state of play, said in the moment, the threat to Greenland is not coming from Russia, not coming from China, but coming from the US So.

[Jane Costen]

It'S pretty clear that President Trump isn't backing down on this. Like we keep hearing the like, no, no, no. This is a negotiation tactic. But like there's no negotiation happening. Greenland, Denmark, none of their allies are backing down either. As a historian, where do you think we go from here?

[Ronald Dole]

The one thing that keeps historians from becoming futurologists is how hard it is to try to predict what could happen clearly. Scenarios in View if the NATO alliance is limited or shattered, it's nearly eight decades worth of ways of operating that would be overturned really quickly. And just what would emerge out of that is uncertain. What kinds of conflicts that have long affected Europe might be further inflamed if there weren't those kinds of controls and reassurances that come with the NATO alliance?

[Jane Costen]

Ronald, thank you so much for taking the time to join me.

[Ronald Dole]

It's my pleasure.

[Jane Costen]

That was my conversation with Ronald Dole, professor at Florida State University and co editor of Exploring Cold War Science and Technology on Ice. Love. What a day. Great. Show your support by hitting that subscribe button and giving us five stars wherever you listen and check out our YouTube. More to come after some ads. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. The new year doesn't require a new you, maybe just a less burdened you. Therapy can help more easily identify what weighs you down by offering an unbiased perspective to better understand your relationships, motivations and emotions. BetterHelp does the initial matching work for you so you can focus on your therapy goals. A short questionnaire helps identify your needs and preferences and their 12 plus years of experience and industry leading match fulfillment rate means they typically get it right the first time. If you aren't happy with your match, switch to a different therapist at any time from their tailored recommendations and with over 30,000 therapists, BetterHelp is one of the world's largest online therapy platforms, Having served over 5 million people globally and it works with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for a live session based on over 1.7 million client reviews. BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] wad that's better. H E L p.com wad what a day is brought to you by Factor. You want to eat better, but you have zero time and zero energy to make it happen. Especially because you also want to eat food that actually tastes good. Factor doesn't ask you to meal prep or follow recipes, it just removes the entire problem. 2 minutes real food done Factor is already made by chefs, designed by dietitians and delivered to your door. You heat it for two minutes and eat what's inside. Lean proteins, colorful vegetables, whole food ingredients, healthy fats. The stuff you'd make if you had the time. And you pick what fits your goals. Healthier eating, calorie management, more protein. Whatever you're actually trying to do and what you actually get is always fresh, never frozen. Ready in two minutes. No prep, no cleanup, no mental load. I think a lot about what I eat and Factor does too. Head to FactorMeals.com wad50off and use code WAD50OFF to get 50% off your first Factor box plus free breakfast for a year offer Valid only for new Factor customers with code and qualifying auto renewing subscription purchase. Make healthier eating easy with Factor Eczema.

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[Jane Costen]

Here's what else we're following today. Head of lines.

[Donald Trump]

We have a book that I'm not going to read to you, but these are the accomplishments of what we've produced all. Page after page after page, individual things. I could stand here and read it for a week and we wouldn't be finished.

[Jane Costen]

President Trump joined the White House press briefing on Tuesday to mark the first full year of his second term. Lucky ass. The president's anniversary speech was long, arduous, low energy and full of weird tangents. First, Trump held up photographs of alleged criminals in Minnesota under the caption worst of worst. Then he rattled off the administration's wins from a prepared packet. Spoiler alert. He's still standing behind those goddamn tariffs. Anyway, we listened to the presser, so you don't have to. Here's a little recap of Trump's best moments.

[Donald Trump]

I love Hispanic. They are unbelievable entrepreneurial. They have everything. I did great. I. I did the highest. Nobody ever got numbers like I got from the standpoint of being a Republican.

[Jane Costen]

What? But don't worry, there's more.

[Donald Trump]

And by the way, I did more for NATO than any other person, alive or dead. Nobody's done for NATO. And I think for the most part.

[Jane Costen]

They'Ll tell you that they would not. Of course, it wouldn't be a Trump speech if he didn't mention former President Joe Biden 500 million times.

[Donald Trump]

That's like I said to Dana White the other night. I said, you know, Dana, it's like you have a fighter, two fighters. One guy is winning by a lot. And they say, oh, let's take this guy out. Let's put a new fighter in the ring with him. That's what happened to me. I was doing great with Biden. The whole campaign was against Biden. All the money was spent against Biden. And all of a sudden I got Kamala, everyone saying, who the hell is she?

[Jane Costen]

It's time to let it go.

[Donald Trump]

I think God is very proud of the job I've done, and that includes for religion. You know, we're protecting a lot of people.

[Jane Costen]

Let's end on that display of narcissism. I think that's enough.

[Ronald Dole]

Leaders like Tim Waltz or Mayor Fry.

[Jane Costen]

Have relied on heated rhetoric and accusations that distract from the facts. Aspiring SS officer Sir Gregory Bovino held a press conference Tuesday defending federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and casting blame for the chaos there on state and local officials. The border patrol chief's comments came as federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas to a slew of those officials, according to a person who spoke with the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Subpoenas were sent to the offices of Minnesota Democrats governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the source said. It's part of an investigation into whether the officials obstructed or impeded federal law enforcement during the sweeping immigration operation in the Twin Cities. AG Allison noted. The subpoena his office received was for records and documents. He wrote in a statement on everything about this is highly irregular, especially the fact that this comes shortly after my office sued the Trump administration to challenge their illegal actions within Minnesota. Hmm, you don't say. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry also took to Twitter, writing in part, when the federal government weaponizes its power to try to intimidate local leaders for doing their jobs, every American should be concerned. Congress released the text of a 1,000 page $1.2 trillion funding bill on Tuesday, ahead of the January 30 deadline to avoid another government shutdown. Please God, not another shutdown. The bipartisan package would fund a majority of the federal government, including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. Arguably the most controversial portion of the bill is the funding for the Department of Homeland Security. It keeps Immigration and Customs Enforcement's annual budget at about $10 billion through the end of September, but it does reduce the money set for enforcement and removal operations. It also attempts to add some guardrails, like allocating $20 million to buy and operate body cameras for immigration enforcement agents. Democrats in the House and Senate have said they want broader reforms to restrain officers following the fatal shooting of 37 year old Renee Goode in Minneapolis. But other Dems argue the bill is better than a shutdown. Washington Senator Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement, quote, the suggestion that a shutdown in this moment might curb the lawlessness of this administration is not rooted in reality. Under a CR and in a shutdown, this administration can do everything they are already doing, but without any of the critical guardrails and constraints imposed by a full year funding bill. Do they seem constrained now? The House is expected to vote on the package later this week, with a separate vote just in the DHS portion. South Carolina health officials announced an additional 88 cases of the measles on Tuesday, marking a total of 646 cases reported there since October. Yes, those measles, the highly infectious disease that can kill you and is easily preventable with a highly effective and safe vaccine that came out over 60 years ago. The US was considered to have eliminated measles in 2000 and has remained measles free for the last quarter century. But in recent years, as childhood vaccination rates have dropped, the virus has made a mysterious and inexplicable comeback. Or, you know, the opposite of mysterious and inexplicable. Actually, very explicable. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed more than 2,000 measles cases across 44 states, the most since 1991 and nearly 50 separate outbreaks. International health authorities say they will meet in April to determine if the US has lost its measles free designation. It's based on whether a single measles chain has spread uninterrupted within the country for at least 12 months. Tuesday marked the one year anniversary of the West Texas outbreak, which included almost 800 cases and killed two children. And that's the news. Before we go, it's time to warm up for the midterms with sweatshirts from the Crooked Store. There are styles for everyone. Crewnecks, hoodies, zip ups and all black options for people who spill coffee on everything they wear. If you're looking for your election year emotional support sweatshirt, I particularly love the Call Congress crew neck, the America Wall supplies Last zip up and the classic Crooked logo hoodie. Stop huddling around your overheating phone for warmth and pick up some cozy merch to help you get through this year. Head to crooked.com store to shop sweatshirts. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, check out the latest list of Trump pardons, which is full of fraudsters. And tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how, it's very clear that despite his rhetoric on Somalis and welfare fraud, Trump is pretty into fraud. As long as he likes the fraudsters like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe. [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Coston and one of Trump's pardons marks round two for one fraudster because he pardoned Adriana Kimberos the first time during his first term. Then she did more fraud, was convicted and as of last week, pardoned by Trump again. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Emily Foer and Chris Allport. Our producer is Kaitlin Plummer Our video editor is Joseph Tutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Ethan Oberman, Greg Walters and Matt Burke. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrian Hill. Our theme music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Cantor. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

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