What does Greenland have that Trump wants?

Donald Trump’s favourite President, William McKinley, added Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines to the American fief at the turn of the twentieth century. Trump once saw Greenland on a map and reportedly said: ‘Look at the size of this. It’s massive! That should be part of the United States’? Two years later, his language is stronger: ‘For purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.’ Trump’s first proposal to buy Greenland in 2019 was rebuffed by the Danes who have sovereignty over it.

For Trump, this is not just about military bases – US forces have operated in Greenland since the second world war, and a 1951 defence agreement established permanent US installations there. So, what exactly does Greenland have that Trump wants?

Greenland’s location is crucial for the future of global shipping. The island lies at the start of the Northwest passage, a series of sea routes snaking through Canada’s Arctic islands.