{"id":24124,"date":"2025-04-11T09:10:26","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T16:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/?p=24124"},"modified":"2025-04-11T09:49:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T16:49:34","slug":"why-trump-finds-greenland-strategically-appealing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/why-trump-finds-greenland-strategically-appealing\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert on Arctic politics explains Greenland\u2019s strategic appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n    \n                                                    \n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-hero \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-hero\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n<div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--image\">\n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n              \n      <img\n                            data-src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_top-768x432.jpg\"\n          data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_top-1920x1080.jpg 1920w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_top-1280x720.jpg 1280w,https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_top-768x432.jpg 768w\"          data-sizes=\"(min-width:1200px) 75vw, (min-width:768px) 83vw, 100vw\"          class=\"lazyload\"\n        \n                  alt=\"Map of Atlantic region shows U.S. in American flag colors and Greenland in its flag colors\"\n        \n        \n                                      \/>\n\n    \n    \n  \n  \n\n<\/div>\n  \n      <div class=\"image-caption\">\n          \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Greenland, the world\u2019s largest island nation, lies in a strategically important location on the globe. (Image source: iStock.)\n\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \n  <div class=\"text-wrapper\">\n          <nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n        <ul>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\">News<\/a><\/li>\n                      <li><a href=\"\/news\/stories\/\/?category=politics\">Politics<\/a><\/li>\n                  <\/ul>\n      <\/nav>\n    \n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--page-title\">\n\n    \n  <h1>Expert on Arctic politics explains Greenland\u2019s strategic appeal<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n          <div class=\"subtitle\">\n            \n<div class=\"f--field f--description\">\n\n    \n  Why is President Trump likely interested in the island nation? International relations professor Steve Lamy explains.\n\n\n<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    \n           <strong class=\"author-field\"><span >By<\/span><a href=\"mailto:communication@dornsife.usc.edu\">Ileana Wachtel<\/a><\/strong>\n    \n          <span class=\"post-date-field\">April 11, 2025<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--social-share \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--social-share\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\n    <span class=\"a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list\" style=\"line-height: 32px;\">\n      <span class=\"title\">\n        Share\n      <\/span>\n                        <a class=\"a2a_button_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/#copy_link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"Link\">\n            <span class=\"a2a_svg a2a_s__default a2a_s_copy_link\">\n              <svg height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" width=\"19\" 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cc--rich-text \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--rich-text\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n      \n<div class=\"f--field f--wysiwyg\">\n\n    \n  <p>Amid renewed talk by U.S. officials of purchasing Greenland \u2014 and rising tensions over Arctic dominance \u2014 an expert on the region\u2019s politics explains what\u2019s really at stake.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_24126\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24126\" style=\"width: 411px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-24126\" src=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_instorya-411x550.jpg\" alt=\"Portrait of Steve Lamy\" width=\"411\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_instorya-411x550.jpg 411w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_instorya-766x1024.jpg 766w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_instorya-768x1027.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/greenland_lamy_instorya.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-24126\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Steve Lamy has decades of insight into Arctic geopolitics. (Photo: Courtesy of Steve Lamy.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/profile\/steven-lamy\/\">Steve Lamy<\/a>, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, International Relations and Spatial Sciences at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, breaks down the motivations, risks and global consequences behind U.S. interest in the world\u2019s largest island.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"questionHeader\">What makes Greenland a valuable asset for President Trump and the United States?<\/h2>\n<p>The Trump administration has pushed two arguments for taking Greenland. The first is to gain control of rare earth minerals or rare earth elements, such as lithium and titanium, critical for manufacturing phones, computer chips and other new technologies, and the second is related to U.S. security.<\/p>\n<p>Greenland is in a crucial geostrategic location. It is proximate to the U.S. and Canada and part of the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, a strategic sea corridor for shipping and the movement of submarines and naval warships. This area was essential to protecting the North Atlantic and the U.S. East Coast during World War II, leading the U.S. to establish and maintain many bases in Greenland. Today, the U.S. maintains only the Pituffick Space, and Danish Arctic forces provide the island\u2019s security. As Arctic ice melts, the region is more open to ship traffic, including Chinese and Russian warships, icebreakers and submarines.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration wants control of these minerals and blocks Chinese efforts to do so. Of 34 critical minerals, 31 are abundant. Still, infrastructure issues such as the lack of roads, severe weather conditions, and Inuit cultural traditions supporting a sustainable hunting and fishing environment have slowed mining efforts. Many mining proposals have been submitted to the Greenlandic government, but only two active mines now operate in Greenland.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"questionHeader\">Does Trump\u2019s interest in Greenland reflect a policy stance or just a symbolic push to counter China and Russia\u2019s growing influence in the Arctic?<\/h2>\n<p>The current Trump foreign policy rejects 80 years of U.S. leadership in global affairs that promote democracy, capitalism and the rule of law through multilateral cooperation and collective problem-solving. Every Republican and Democratic administration since WWII \u2014 especially through the Cold War \u2014 has endorsed and defended this order. The Trump administration is no longer willing to defend the ideas and institutions that \u201cwon the Cold War\u201d without some form of payback. This position suggests that current U.S. foreign policy is in a new position, with material interests overwhelming goals based on ideals and principles.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s Greenland strategy is mainly about the U.S. economic battle with China. Data suggests that China refines 40 \u2013 90% of the global supply of key elements. Of the 50 critical minerals listed by the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. imports 50 \u2013 100% of 41 of them, according to a 2025 Center for Strategic and International Studies report. The Trump administration worries that China will use its control of these minerals to hurt the U.S. economy, counter U.S. tariff policies, and gain more geopolitical power and influence.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns about Russia are more related to military security. Russia could challenge North American and European security with its icebreakers and submarines, and Arctic security challenges have not been a priority for the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p>In past administrations, cooperation with our allies and working within the rules and practices of international and regional organizations were favored strategies. For example, the Biden administration established the Minerals Security Partnership \u2014 which included Greenland, Canada and Ukraine \u2014 to deal with critical mineral supply chains outside China. Trump prefers colonial-style relationships and not multilateral partnerships. Again, his transactional style may explain his recent demand that Ukraine give the U.S. exclusive access to its minerals and his desire to take control of Greenland and its resources.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"questionHeader\">How might Trump\u2019s talk of acquiring Greenland impact NATO and U.S.-European alliances?<\/h2>\n<p>If Trump implements a coercive diplomacy strategy to take Greenland by force or the threat of force and trade sanctions, NATO will condemn the action. While NATO won\u2019t respond militarily, it\u2019s likely that U.S. participation in the alliance would end, prompting Europe and Canada to form a new collective defense organization. This partnership, which may include Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan, will be another phase in the effort to create strategic autonomy from an unreliable U.S. The Western alliance with the Asia-Pacific partners will need to step up and redesign the international security system and prepare to respond militarily to global security challenges.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"questionHeader\">What is the bigger threat to the Arctic, climate change or the scramble for resources? <\/h2>\n<p>Because of weather conditions, the scramble for resources in the Arctic is limited to a few players. It is not as intense as the current competition for resources in Africa, for example.<\/p>\n<p>The main problem in the Arctic is climate change, which continues to increase because of the actions of global consumers in non-Arctic regions. Only 4 million live in the Arctic region, and the continuing consumption of fossil fuels by most non-Arctic states is warming the planet, and the world\u2019s collective actions to slow climate change are simply inadequate.<\/p>\n<p>Major oil companies are interested in the Arctic, but it\u2019s difficult to explore. Norwegian oil giant Equinor has extensive experience in the region, as do Russian companies, which are all increasing production because Russia needs to finance its war with Ukraine. Russia is collaborating with China to drill and is also using illegal ghost ships to break the sanctions and sell more gas and oil to anyone willing to pay. President Trump wants to add Greenland to America\u2019s domestic sources of oil, gas and minerals.<\/p>\n<p>The Arctic paradox means that as climate change warms the planet, ice melts and more Arctic areas are open for exploration and drilling. That means more consumption, more global warming and more competition among the great powers.<\/p>\n<p>And if warming continues, the Northern Sea Route across Russia and the Northwest Passage above Canada and the U.S. could open further, leading to increased ocean traffic and a scramble for nearby resources. It may also increase the vulnerability of communities in the region to a variety of bad actors.<\/p>\n<style>div.f--wysiwyg h2.questionHeader {margin-top: 2em;}<\/style>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n  \n        \n  \n    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div\n  class=\"cc--component-container cc--article-related-stories \"\n\n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  >\n  <div class=\"c--component c--article-related-stories\"\n    \n      >\n\n    \n  <div class=\"inner-wrapper\">\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--section-title\">\n\n    \n  <h2>\n          Related Articles\n      <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n    \n                  <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/why-trump-is-really-targeting-greenland\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Why Trump is really targeting Greenland<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/calis-teaches-teens-to-understand-a-changing-world\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >Teaching teens to understand a changing world<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n              <article>\n              \n<div class=\"f--field f--cta-title\">\n\n    \n  <h3>\n          <a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/russia-ukraine-war-analysis-by-international-relations-experts\/\" \n                        class=\"\" \n      >What will it take to end the Russia-Ukraine war? Two experts tell us<\/a>\n      <\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n        <\/article>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why is President Trump likely interested in the island nation? International relations professor Steve Lamy explains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":24125,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10,50],"tags":[85,95],"class_list":["post-24124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dornsife-global","category-faculty","category-politics","tag-international-relations","tag-social-sciences"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Expert on Arctic politics explains Greenland\u2019s strategic appeal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Arctic politics expert and USC professor emeritus Steve Lamy reveals why President Trump likely is interested in the island nation\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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