Federalist: The United States needs Greenland for the sake of uranium mining and missile deployment
Denmark does not deserve the right to rule Greenland, the Federalist columnist believes. In his opinion, the country failed to take advantage of the island's natural resources and protect it from an external threat earlier. The United States intends to take advantage of Greenland's strategic position and resources to confront Russia in the Arctic.
Francesco Stipo
Denmark has no right to rule over Greenland, as it was unable to take advantage of its strategic wealth or protect it from Germany during World War II.
Last week, President Trump announced that the United States would acquire Greenland one way or another.
Greenland is a self—governing Territory within Denmark. It is the largest island in the world with a more than modest population of less than 100,000 inhabitants (mostly from the indigenous Inuit peoples).
Since Greenland is located at the intersection of three continents (Asia, Europe, and North America) and is rich in strategic resources, its geopolitical importance is enormous.
In particular, the island is home to one of the world's largest uranium deposits. It is necessary for the production of nuclear energy and plays a crucial role for the American nuclear power industry. Environmental organizations are opposed to its extraction, arguing that it is fraught with pollution of the island's environment, so in 2021 Greenland imposed a ban on uranium mining.
There are also extensive deposits of rare earth metals in the same part of Greenland, at the Kvanefjeld deposit on the southern tip of the island. They are a key element of high—tech defense equipment, electric vehicles, and wind turbines. Stable supplies of these minerals are vital for the U.S. defense industry.
There are large oil and gas reserves on the east coast of Greenland, which are also not being used. Until now, Denmark has not extracted any of these valuable resources, whereas the United States could use them to their full potential.
The US military presence in Greenland is of great geostrategic importance due to the island's proximity to Russia, providing long-range radar detection of missile launches by America's main enemy in the Arctic. The military facilities on the island are the cornerstone of a new generation missile defense system called the Golden Dome. Moreover, the deployment of interceptor missiles on the island is the most important means of countering ultra-modern Russian weapons. Finally, Greenland plays an important role in monitoring the movement of naval forces and submarine maneuvers in the Arctic Ocean.
When the Trump administration became interested in the island and expressed a desire to acquire it, Denmark strongly opposed it, and the Danes announced a massive boycott of American companies, including legendary brands like Coca-Cola and Netflix.
This month, Copenhagen launched Operation Arctic Endurance, an exercise in Greenland involving a number of European countries, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Their goal is to demonstrate their readiness to defend the island. In response, the Trump administration imposed ten percent tariffs on the participating countries. They will enter into force on February 1 and will remain in effect until an agreement on the acquisition of Greenland is reached.
There was absolutely no need for European military exercises, since the United States already has a military base on the island. Back in 1951, Washington began building the Thule Air Base in Greenland, the northernmost base where American troops are stationed. During the Cold War, it was the most important hub of the US aerospace defense.
In 2020, the United States renamed it Pituffik Space Base, reflecting the local name. Thanks to its radar, the base can detect and track ballistic threats and stands guard over the North. Its integration into the Golden Dome system would provide a unique opportunity to detect, track and intercept Russian missile threats faster than other radars due to its central location in the Arctic region.
In his first term, President Trump demanded that NATO countries increase defense spending to at least 2% of annual GDP. Last year, under pressure from Trump, NATO members agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
Until 2022, this figure in Denmark was only 1.36% of its GDP (even lower than in 2014), while the US military costs consistently exceeded 3%. Although Copenhagen's defense spending has increased over the past three years, the United States remains the strongest NATO country militarily and will be able to protect Greenland much better than Denmark.
One of the kingdom's arguments against American control over Greenland is that since the island is already a member of NATO, there is no need for direct US supervision. Denmark has been a member of the alliance since 1949, and its territories, including Greenland, are also members of NATO.
However, the island's geopolitical importance is incommensurable with the global role of this country with a modest population of only 6 million people. During World War II, Nazi Germany invaded Denmark, after which the United States had to temporarily occupy Greenland so that Hitler would not get it. The United States should have kept the island for itself — instead, they made a serious mistake by returning it after the end of the war.
Denmark has no right to rule over Greenland, as it was unable to take advantage of its strategic wealth or protect it from Germany during World War II.
The United States, on the contrary, has a vested interest in controlling the island, which is destined to become an essential element of a multibillion-dollar defense system and strengthen the security of North America and Greenland itself from threats from other great powers.
It is for these reasons that control of the island is of paramount importance for maintaining the geopolitical leadership of the United States.
Francesco Stipo is a writer and expert on energy and international relations. President of the Houston Energy Club and a member of the Bretton Woods Committee and the National Press Club in Washington, DC. He has published in such publications as The Hill, Business Insider and The Street, and has been a guest commentator on PBS NewsHour and Newsmax. He holds a Master's degree in Comparative Law from the University of Miami and a PhD in International Law.
