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President-elect Donald Trump has had his eyes to the north recently, with comments made about making Canada the 51st state and most recently revisiting the idea of buying Greenland.
Trump mentioned the purchase of Greenland in 2019, to which Former Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen said the island is “not for sale,” while others called the idea “absurd.”
In 2024, Prime Minister Mute Egede affirmed the sentiment: “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.”
With the official “ownership” of the island remaining undisputed, here’s why Trump is raising the question of it becoming an American-owned territory.
Who ‘owns’ Greenland?
Known as the world’s largest island, Greenland has been politically tied to Denmark for centuries. It was officially integrated into the Danish state in 1953 and granted home rule in 1979, according to Britannica.
Greenland is home to about 56,000 residents, and the island’s home-rule government is responsible for most domestic affairs. The Danish government controls citizenship, monetary policy, and foreign affairs, including defense.
Why does Trump want to purchase Greenland?
On Donald Trump’s Truth Social page, he wrote that “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.”
The announcement came with the selection of Ken Howery as the Ambassador to Denmark.
The US has tried to buy Greenland before
In 1946, U.S. officials offered Denmark $100 million to purchase the land, according to Time Magazine. Similarly to Trump, U.S. officials at the time claimed it was a “military necessity” to have the island so it could be used as a stepping stone to Europe during wartime.
Unlike President Andrew Johnson’s purchase of Alaska in 1867, the Artic Circle land deal did not pan out.
Can a country purchase another country?
Technically speaking, anyone can purchase land in a country, but for another country to officially “own” land, there must be a mutual annexation and adoption between the two unions.
International law prohibits a State from proclaiming sovereignty over the territory of another state, which means annexation often only occurs after threat or use of force, with the annexing state occupying the territory for a time.
Source link : https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/23/trump-wants-to-buy-greenland-why-its-not-for-sale/77177698007/
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Publish date : 2024-12-23 08:59:00
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