In order to remain competitive with Russia, China, and other BRICS nations in the global energy and technology sectors, U.S. officials know they need to secure necessary energy sources (i.e. hydroelectric power) and mining opportunities (rare earth minerals) to propel advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics, weapon systems, batteries, and aircraft.
This is the most likely reason President-elect Donald Trump is already pushing Greenland and Canada to merge with the United States, either for economic and energy reasons or to secure precious resources and territory. With a looming trade war with China, America will need to find new sources for rare earth minerals when China decides to finally cut the U.S. off.
Right now, Trump is energizing a Greenland Independence Movement, with a two-year commission already underway in Greenland to consider upcoming U.S. proposals for a merger.
- Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, is advancing toward independence, with a draft constitution and a two-year commission underway.
- Pro-independence parties dominate Greenlandic politics, with 80% of voters supporting independence in recent elections.
- The U.S. sees Greenland as a potential source of rare earth minerals and a strategic ally amid escalating global competition with China and Russia.
- China’s dominance in rare earth mineral production and processing poses a significant risk to U.S. energy and technology sectors.
- President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland—whether through purchase or expanded cooperation—reflects its geopolitical importance.
Greenland is pushing for independence
Greenland, the world’s largest island with a population of just 57,000, is inching closer to independence from Denmark. A two-year commission is currently working on the legal and logistical details of separation, following a 2009 Danish law that outlines the process. Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede recently declared in a New Year’s address that the time has come to “remove the shackles of the colonial era” and move forward with independence.
The push for independence is not new. Pro-independence parties have long dominated Greenlandic politics, securing 80% of the vote in the last election. However, the geopolitical landscape has added urgency to the movement. As global powers vie for control over rare earth minerals—essential for advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and renewable energy—Greenland’s vast untapped resources have become a focal point.
“It is now time to take the next step for our country,” Egede said. “Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the obstacles to cooperation—which we can describe as the shackles of the colonial era—and move on.”
The U.S. and Greenland: A strategic partnership in the making?
The U.S. has long viewed Greenland as a strategic asset due to its location between the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, as well as its potential mineral wealth. Former President Donald Trump’s 2019 offer to purchase Greenland, though widely ridiculed at the time, underscored the island’s geopolitical significance. While a sale is unlikely, increased U.S. military and economic cooperation with an independent Greenland remains a possibility.
“My prognosis is that the Danish government will accept [Greenland’s independence] in the next few years,” said Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies. “An independent Greenland would then be free to forge its own security or economic ties with the U.S., Denmark, or anyone else.”
A 2021 poll revealed that 69% of Greenlanders favored closer cooperation with the U.S., compared to just 39% who supported stronger ties with China. This sentiment aligns with U.S. interests, particularly as China tightens its grip on the global supply of rare earth minerals.
China’s rare earth dominance and the U.S. supply chain crisis
China controls more than 80% of the world’s supply of rare earth minerals, including critical elements like dysprosium, terbium, neodymium, and praseodymium. These minerals are essential for manufacturing everything from wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries to advanced weapon systems and semiconductors.
The U.S. Department of Energy has identified rare earth minerals as critical materials, warning that reliance on China poses a significant risk to national security and economic stability. In December 2023, China halted rare earth exports to the U.S., a move seen as retaliation for expanded American restrictions on technology sales to China.
Greenland, with its untapped mineral reserves, could offer a solution. The island is believed to hold significant deposits of rare earth elements, making it a potential alternative to Chinese supplies. However, extracting these resources would require substantial investment and infrastructure development—a challenge that could be mitigated through U.S. cooperation.
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