Trump Hasn’t Given Up on Greenland

Welcome back to Foreign Policy ’s Situation Report, coming to you from both sides of the Atlantic this week. John is in Prague having interesting conversations at the GLOBSEC Forum (more on that below), while Rishi holds down the fort at his desk in dreary Washington. Alright, here’s what’s on tap for the day: Trump’s Greenland obsession keeps on keeping on, Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparks international (and rare domestic) condemnation, and a senior Qatari official discusses the country’

President Donald Trump’s attention has been focused on Iran lately, he hasn’t given up on his push to gain control of Greenland. Recent reporting indicates that the Trump administration is still making hard-line demands in ongoing negotiations with Greenland and Denmark. Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, is also visiting the island this week. Landry, who said on Wednesday that the United States needs to “put its footprint back on Greenland,” has reportedly faced an icy reception. John is at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague this week and moderated a panel on Arctic security on Thursday. Trump’s fixation on Greenland was mentioned (unprompted) mere moments into the discussion, which is indicative of how this issue has continued to loom large over the trans-Atlantic alliance. “We are still in a surreal situation and dialogue where the leading member of NATO threatened to invade and take over the biggest Arctic state, which is a part of the kingdom of Denmark,” said Thordis Gylfadottir, the former foreign minister of Iceland. ‘Completely absurd.’ Trump has said that the United States needs to control Greenland for national security purposes and to prevent Russia and China from taking it over. But a 1951 agreement already grants the U.S. considerable military access to Greenland. Though there’s no doubt that Russia and China both have major interests in expanding their influence in the Arctic—and Moscow already has a massive military presence in the region—there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical that they would attack Greenland and risk open war with NATO. and NATO have all they need in Greenland in order to pursue their defense and security concerns,” Gylfadottir said.

Key points

• President Donald Trump’s attention has been focused on Iran lately, he hasn’t given up on his push to gain control of Greenland.
• Recent reporting indicates that the Trump administration is still making hard-line demands in ongoing negotiations with Greenland and Denmark.
• Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, is also visiting the island this week.
• Landry, who said on Wednesday that the United States needs to “put its footprint back on Greenland,” has reportedly faced an icy reception.
• John is at the GLOBSEC Forum in Prague this week and moderated a panel on Arctic security on Thursday.