The astute real estate magnate and soon-to-be President, Donald Trump, has recently rekindled his fascinating proposal to incorporate Greenland as a part of the United States. The prospect of claiming this extraordinary landscape has intrigued not just him, but numerous observers around the globe who have questioned his motivations behind this endeavor.
Many conjecture that one of the primary factors driving Trump’s interest is the perceived scale of Greenland. However, the actual size of Greenland is commonly misrepresented on majority of the traditional maps. The root of this misconception arises from the Mercator projection, a standard yet notably distorting representation of worldwide geography.
This geographical distortion becomes increasingly exaggerated with an escalating distance from the equator. Consequently, landmasses like Antarctica and Greenland often appear grossly stretched and inflated. A classic example is Greenland appearing nearly as large as Africa on most maps, despite Africa being 14 times larger.
To give a more realistic comparison, Greenland’s expanse is somewhat analogous to the total area of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nevertheless, for seasoned real estate developer Trump with a keen eye for potential, the actual size is of secondary importance to strategic value. His remarks in 2021 divulge his propensity for envisioning the possibilities in every corner of the world.
Trump compared his aspiration for Greenland to his experience as a real estate magnate, saying, ‘Just as I would look at a corner spot and see its potential for a new building, I look at the map and see potential for the United States in Greenland. I’ve always been fascinated by the possibilities that maps open up, and Greenland’s size is indeed impressive.’
Echoing his experience in negotiating big-ticket property deals, Trump categorized the proposed acquisition of Greenland as a ‘large real estate deal,’ suggesting the potential for multifaceted developments.
With a continental area of approximately 836,000 square miles, Greenland indeed commands notable attention despite being sizable smaller than the contiguous United States. Experts like Mark Serreze, a geography professor from the University of Colorado Boulder, have even humorously suggested ‘remedial geographical education’ to anyone making an overly expansive estimation of Greenland’s size based on the Mercator projection.
And while there are murmurs about nations rushing to claim northern territories for their resource potential, Serreze adds, ‘There is NO land up for grabs! The era of such activities ended ages ago.’ His remark cleverly parodies those questioning Trump’s intentions, painting them as outdated and misguided.
The northern hemisphere, especially Greenland, is rich in natural resources such as cobalt, gold, silver, copper, nickel, and uranium. This adds significant strategic value to Greenland on top of its existing population of 56,000 residents, a number surprisingly less than that of Hoboken, New Jersey, demonstrating the vast potential for development.
Greenland has been under Danish rule since the 18th century, obtaining home rule in 1979 and its self-governing status since 2009. In addition, the United States already maintains a significant military base there. Trump’s renewed interest in expanding the U.S. territory to include Greenland adds a fresh chapter in the long-standing relationship.
Trump’s consistent interest in Greenland, nurtured since his first term, has garnered increased attention, with some speculating on his determination to forge ahead with acquisition plans by any available means. However, these rumors should not overshadow the primary driver of Trump’s proposal: national security and global freedom.
The president-elect made his intentions clear last month, when he expressed, ‘For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.’ His visit to Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, underscored his personal investment in this endeavor, despite the absence of any official meetings.
Facing opposition from the Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede, who insists on maintaining Greenland’s status quo, Trump remains unfazed. True to his reputation for never backing down, he asserts, ‘This is a deal that must happen.’ This illustrates his unwavering commitment to the strategic growth and security of the United States.
Cynics like Professor Mark Serreze have expressed disbelief at Trump’s proposal, neglecting the potential strategic benefits. On the other hand, a German oceanographer called for geographically accurate map projections, attributing Trump’s interest to possibly being misled by distorted map representations. Despite such critiques, Trump’s vision for U.S. expansion remains undeterred.
Alluding further to his audacious vision for the United States, Trump has also expressed interest in the idea of annexing Canada as the ’51st state.’ Just as Greenland, Canada’s representation on the Mercator map appears significantly larger than its actual size, magnifying the potential for Trump’s grand visions.