Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland for the United States: report
- The US president has reportedly expressed interest in buying the world’s largest island, which is currently an autonomous territory of Denmark
- Greenland is already home to a major US airbase with 600 military personnel – an important part of the country’s global radar system
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US president has “expressed interest” in buying the icy territory – the world’s largest island – and has asked his aides to explore the possibility. He has even sought the view of the White House counsel, though the newspaper noted his inquiries came “with varying degrees of seriousness”.
Despite the levity the idea has provoked, it is not entirely in the realm of fantasy. In 1946, US President Harry Truman tried to buy Greenland from Denmark for US$100m but was rebuffed. There was a more successful precedent dating back to 1917 when the US acquired the Danish West Indies, rebranding them the US Virgin Islands.
The US military already has a major airbase on Greenland, on the north-west of the island. The base has 600 personnel and is important in the country’s global radar system.
