Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President-elect Donald Trump, has arrived in Greenland for what he has described as a "very long, personal, day-trip." However, it comes after his father repeatedly voiced his desire for the U.S. to take control of the autonomous Danish territory.
Trump Jr. has no planned meetings with government officials, and Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede recently made it clear the autonomous island will not be sold. "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom," he said after one of Trump's public messages about acquiring the territory.
But Trump is seemingly eager to move forward with his intentions. "Greenland is an incredible place, and the people will benefit tremendously if and when it becomes part of our nation. We will protect it, and cherish it, from a very vicious outside world," he said in his social media platform, Truth Social, when announcing his son's trip.
The matter is dominating the geopolitical conversation, but won't be the first time the U.S. makes such an attempt. Two other presidents have done so, with one of them offering $5 million for Greenland.
U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward formally offered $5.5 million in gold for both Greenland and Iceland to Denmark in 1867, the same year in which the country purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire. Negotiations for the two other territories were almost complete but they were ultimately unfruitful.
The U.S. formally recognized Denmark's claim over the whole island in 1917 when the former wanted to buy the Danish West Indies during World War I. Denmark formally declared sovereignty over all the territory in 1921.
The U.S. made a new attempt at purchasing it 25 years later as the military deemed both Greenland and Iceland key locations to set up American bases. Then-President Harry Truman offered $100 million, but the offer was again rejected by Denmark.
The U.S. did establish a base in Greenland years later when, in 1953, Operation Blue Jay saw the construction of the Thule Air Base. The U.S. considers it a key area because it's on the shortest polar route between Washington and Moscow and midway between them. Trump has not made any formal offers yet nor said what he would willing to give in exchange for Greenland.
The president-elect's recent territorial ambitions have drawn mixed reactions, with critics questioning their feasibility and potential impact on U.S. foreign relations. Trump's team, however, insists there is a broader strategy behind his remarks. "World leaders are flocking to the table because President Trump is already delivering on his promise to Make America Strong Again," said transition spokeswoman Anna Kelly. An anonymous Trump official told The Washington Post that these moves are part of a calculated effort to counter the influence of global powers like Russia and China.
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