Donald Trump’s desire to integrate Greenland into the United States has faced widespread online criticism.
Although it hasn’t been a topic of conversation recently, Trump has previously expressed that the US should fully acquire Greenland, making it an eventual part of the nation.
Despite opposition from both the Danish and Greenlandic governments, who have made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, Trump has consistently argued for the acquisition, suggesting it would benefit everyone involved.
In a recent interview, when queried by a reporter about whether he still plans to pursue Greenland, particularly after appointing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as Special Envoy to Greenland, Trump responded confidently.
He clarified that Landry himself reached out to him regarding the position rather than the other way around.
Trump stated: “He is a great guy, he is a deal maker type guy, and we need [Greenland] for national protection.
“They have a very small population and I don’t know, they say Denmark has spent no money there, they have no military protection.
“They say Denmark was there 300 years ago or something with a boat and we were there with boats too, I’m sure. So we’ll have to work it all out.
“We need Greenland for national security, not for minerals, we have so many sights for minerals and oil and everything. We have more oil than any other country in the world. We need Greenland for national security.”
The statement, which has been circulated widely on X, has been accompanied by a community note challenging Trump’s claim.
The note pointed out: “There are no historical records of US citizens visiting Greenland by boat 300 years ago. The US didn’t exist until 1776, and 18th-century expeditions to Greenland were mainly by Danes, Norwegians, and other Europeans. American involvement began in the 19th century.”
Additionally, critics have questioned the need for Greenland to be part of the US for national security reasons, emphasizing that the US already maintains a military presence in Greenland through the Pituffik Space Base.
One social media user commented: “’National security’ is such a poor excuse. It seems Trump is unaware, or has forgotten, that the US already has a base in Greenland that does exactly this. For several decades even. Even if the US would need to expand their activities, request it, but no US ownership is needed.”
Another pointed out: “’We need [it] for national protection’ was Putin’s oft-stated rationale for invading Ukraine.”
Another person agreed: “What Trump is planning to do in Greenland is the same as Putin has done in Ukraine.”
And another simply wrote: “Trump says so many dumb things that listening to him feels like reverse education.”
The White House has been contacted for comment.