Washington weighs Greenland acquisition amid diplomatic tensions
The White House is evaluating the cost of acquiring Greenland, reports "The Washington Post". The newspaper highlights that this is the "most concrete effort" aimed at realizing Donald Trump's vision. Officials are analyzing various factors, including the cost of providing a protective umbrella over the island.
Washington is estimating the financial burden of controlling Greenland on the federal budget. In recent weeks, Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the island, which is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, will eventually come under U.S. control. The Republican did not even rule out the use of force.
According to "The Washington Post", officials from the White House are analyzing the cost of transforming the island into U.S. territory. The island is home to 58,000 people who would require efficient administration, among other services.
How much does maintaining Greenland cost?
Each year Denmark allocates 600 million USD (CAD 859 million) to Greenland's budget, while the island's GDP stands at 3 billion USD (CAD 4.3 billion). In light of these figures, the White House is preparing an offer that's more generous than Denmark's. Officials are also attempting to estimate potential revenue from the extraction of natural resources.
"This is a lot higher than that. The point is, 'We’ll pay you more than Denmark does,'" said an anonymous White House official, as quoted by "The Washington Post". He also confirmed that "there is a discussion about what the costs and benefits would be for the United States of America if we were to acquire Greenland".
The cost analysis will consider whether Greenlanders would support Trump's initiatives. "If we acquire it, then what does it cost us to take care of these people as part of our Arctic umbrella?" wonders the official. In his view, acquiring Greenland might be simpler than acquiring the Panama Canal or Canada.
However, Trump's statements have not been well received by Greenland's premier. Múte B. Egede said in mid-March that the island "our integrity and democracy must be respected without foreign interference." At the end of last month, Vice President J.D. Vance visited the island. Just before the visit, his team "were going door to door" asking residents to agree to meet with the politician. Ultimately, Vance, along with his wife, only appeared at the American space force base Pituffik.
The White House believes they can convince Americans of the idea of acquiring Greenland. The U.S. would recoup the invested funds, among other means, by introducing licensing fees for mined minerals.
Danes to visit the island
On Wednesday, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen will arrive in Greenland for a three-day visit. This is a response to J.D. Vance's aforementioned visit. The trip has been "welcomed" by Denmark's future prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
In his opinion, the attention surrounding the island will strengthen ties between Denmark and Greenland.
"Talking about annexation and talking about acquiring Greenland and not respecting the sovereignty is not respectful. So let's start by being respectful to each other and build up a great partnership on everything," emphasized Nielsen in an interview with Reuters.
