The US wants to take Greenland!
The United States wants to take control of Greenland for “economic security.” President Trump even said that the US could use military force for this purpose.
Trump said that Denmark is not spending enough money to protect Greenland. He thinks the US can do a better job of keeping Greenland safe from China and Russia. But Denmark and Greenland do not agree.
Recently, US Vice President JD Vance and his wife visited a US military base in Greenland. Greenland’s leaders did not like this visit. Last Friday, they made an agreement that said: “Greenland belongs to us.”
A survey in January showed that 85% of Greenlanders do not want to be part of the US. This is not the first time the US has wanted Greenland. The US has tried to get it since the 1860s.
What is special about Greenland?
Greenland is the largest island in the world that is not a continent. It has very few people. It is part of Denmark, which is a country in Europe. Denmark makes decisions about Greenland’s foreign relations and security. Since World War II, the US has had military bases there.
About 80% of Greenland is covered by ice. It has the second-biggest ice sheet in the world, after Antarctica. But because of global warming, the ice is melting. This will make sea levels rise.
Rising sea levels are bad for people living in coastal areas and global climate. But they will make the Arctic region more valuable for countries like the US, Russia, and China. Because most of Greenland is in the Arctic, it is very important.
Why does the US want Greenland?
Greenland has many natural resources. It has oil, gas, and rare earth minerals like lithium and cobalt. These minerals are needed for making electronics like phones, batteries, and electric cars.
China has the biggest supply of these minerals. But Western countries do not want to depend on China, so they are looking at Greenland. The US, UK, Canada, and Australia already have permission to mine there.
Before, Greenland’s cold weather and difficult land made mining difficult. But now, Greenland is getting warmer. The ice is mostly in the north, and the rest of the country has more plants, wetlands, and rocks. This makes it easier for ships to reach minerals and also take them to other countries on ships.
But even if Greenland is useful to the US, it is important to respect what the people of Greenland want.
