The controversy sparked by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump when he proposed buying Greenland for a second time has led to a somewhat angry response from the island’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, who asserted on Monday that the remote island is not for sale.
However, this is not the first time Trump has floated the idea. He had previously mentioned it during his first term in office, viewing the acquisition of Greenland as a matter of U.S. national security.
Trump is not the only American president to have attempted to purchase the vast, ice-covered island, located northeast of Canada. In 1946, President Harry Truman also tried to buy Greenland. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, under President Abraham Lincoln, considered the idea back in 1867.
So, why does the U.S. show such interest in Greenland?
The Arctic island, which has a population of just about 57,000 people, is home to the Thule Air Base, a key U.S. military site. This base plays a critical role in missile defense and space surveillance operations, according to the U.S. Space Force.
Moreover, Greenland offers vast tracts of land that could be used for various scientific research opportunities.
