Donald Trump wants Greenland—by any means necessary. The president imposed tariffs on Europe last weekend, vowing to raise them even further if the Danish territory isn’t turned over to America. European leaders have pledged defiance against Trump’s action and insist that Greenland is not for sale.
It’s a tense situation, but it appears a meeting on Wednesday may have defused it. Trump announced after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that a deal framework may soon be worked out, and he backed away from tariffs.
It’s a good sign that a serious resolution may be found for the Greenland affair. There are plenty of ways to resolve this situation that allow Europe to save face and for America to have a greater footprint in Greenland.
America should not turn Europe into an enemy, nor abuse our ally Denmark. But it is in the national interest to have a more secure footing in Greenland, especially with the Arctic sea lanes opening and the possibility of greater mineral extraction. It would be dangerous to allow Greenland to fall into the orbit of a geopolitical foe. A new deal with Europe could resolve this matter.
There are right and wrong ways to go about this.
Trump’s tariff strategy is the wrong way to go about it and should not be revived. It would rip up a great deal America made last year and likely stiffen European resistance. An overtly coercive action like this isn’t in America’s best interest, especially if we don’t even get Greenland in the end.
It’s important to understand the latest tariffs from the standpoint of the president’s own protectionism. Trump made it clear last year that he wanted to put America first with trade policy. He instituted a radical tariff regime that shocked markets and foreign nations alike. Some observers predicted it would destroy the world economy. It did no such thing. Instead, it forced many countries to negotiate new trade agreements with America that greatly favored the U.S.
The European Union deal was the triumph of Trump’s trade strategy. Despite European leaders vowing to never surrender on Trump’s demands, they caved to most of what he wanted. The EU agreed to dramatically lower tariffs on a variety of American goods while agreeing to a baseline 15 percent tariff on a number of European imports. It was lopsidedly in favor of America and presented Trump with a major win. “I think it’s the biggest deal ever made,” Trump said of the deal last July.
However, tariff threats can destroy that deal. The EU parliament paused it “indefinitely” after Trump announced his new threats. Prominent politicians such as Jordan Bardella, leader of the right-populist French National Rally, have called on Europe to scrap the deal entirely.
It doesn’t look good for America to get tremendous concessions out of Europe, and then up the ante six months later on a separate issue.
Fortunately, Trump changed his mind.
Trump knows that it’s important for a businessman to stick to his word in order to make deals. No one will make deals with someone they can’t trust to hold up their end of the bargain. The same applies to diplomacy. Other countries are going to be leery of making deals with America if we don’t stick to our word. This will especially hurt Trump’s much-valued trade agenda. He wants to make terrific deals like the one he made with the EU. But if he rips that up, then other countries will be less inclined to do business.
Even if we did get Greenland out of the tariff threats, it could still significantly damage our diplomatic power around the world. The Arctic territory might not be worth that.
Trump’s announcement signals progress and a way for all sides to come away satisfied.
If Trump still insists on getting Greenland, there is an idea that would serve the national interest and allow Europeans to ease their wounded pride. Outright annexation likely wouldn’t go over so well. Polls show a strong majority of Greenlanders want independence from Denmark but don’t want to be part of America. Greenland is dependent on Danish subsidies, which is one of the reasons why it hasn’t separated yet. If it separates, it will need a foreign patron to support it.
There is already a way for America to make Greenland firmly a part of the American sphere and allow it to be independent. It’s called a Compact of Free Association (COFA). This agreement allows for an independent state to be closely aligned with America. The Marshall Islands, Palau, and Micronesia are all Freely Associated States under this framework. In return for allowing military bases and economic projects, these states receive plenty of American subsidies. The agreement blocks out foreign powers and keeps the territories firmly in our sphere.
This is important when considering the situation with the Chagos Archipelago. Britain agreed to hand over the Indian Ocean islands to China-aligned Mauritius after facing international pressure over its “colonialist” domain. The matter now presents a serious issue for America, as it undermines the ability to maintain a joint British-American military base on the islands.
Something like this could be replicated in Greenland. China is interested in the island. As Denmark and Europe continue to build up their economic partnerships with the Middle Kingdom, the chances of Chinese intrusion into the Arctic territory increase. America should make a new deal to prevent this possibility.
A COFA offers a nice compromise for all parties. Denmark is no longer on the hook for expensive subsidies, Greenlanders get their independence, and America gets greater security guarantees.
It’s the right way to get Greenland for the U.S.
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