WaPo: “Trump’s idea of buying Greenland is far from absurd” (MGGA!)

Do you remember Columbo?

I used to love that show.  Still do if I’m scrolling and see it’s on TV.  Great show.

Columbo always got the edge over his opponents by making them all think he was dumb, so they underestimated him.  They thought he was a buffoon and they laughed him off.  By the time he had them cornered and they realized he was a genius, it was too late and they were off to prison.

President Trump does something similar….

He uses his bombastic personality and often times throws out things that sound ridiculous, and people laugh him off.  Discount him.  Ignore him.  Scoff.

But eventually they realize he wasn’t joking, and by the time they realize that he’s already 5 steps ahead of them and they can’t catch up.  And Trump wins again.

I think that’s exactly what’s happening with the idea of buying Greenland.

Many are scoffing and the Danish Prime minister called the idea “absurd”.

But credit to the Washington Post who admitted this back in 2019: the idea is far from absurd…

Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/Cqy3jVUFwB

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) December 25, 2024

For once, the WaPo is right.

High North News wrote a similar analysis which I thought was absolutely brilliant and I want to share a portion with you:

From 2019:

President Trump’s idea that the US might buy Greenland may herald very difficult dilemmas for Denmark and Greenland indeed. It is far too early to dismiss the whole idea as just another Trump oddity.

For more than a week, journalists and commentators across the world regarded US president Donald Trump’s remarks that he may consider buying Greenland, the world’s largest island, almost as a laughing matter.

Many elements in this spectacle fit the common picture of the president as a leader who doesn’t forget his track record as a real estate broker, a president with limited patience with conventions and a willingness to treat other nations with delicate disdain if he finds it in the interest of the US.

However, now it seems clear that the US president may be dead serious. It is no longer possible to rule out that the idea of buying Greenland, including all its people and territory, may reflect a wish on the president’s side to take responsibility for a hardened US analysis of Russian and Chinese intentions in the Arctic.

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The president’s idea of buying Greenland, even if it seems unimaginable, matches in many ways a series of other recent signs, in particular from agencies and institutions involved with US security, of a rapid increase in US interests in Greenland.

US media have also over the last days uncovered how a significant number of strategists within the US administration either openly or under the cover of anonymity are ready to support the idea.

“Denmark essentially owns it. We’re very good allies with Denmark, we protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world. So the concept came up and I said, ‘Certainly I’d be interested”
– Donald Trump, US President

To Denmark and Greenland, serious dilemmas could emerge if Donald Trump, supported by those who brought the idea to his attention, is indeed aiming to alter the delicate balance of power between these two nations and the US in the Arctic. Since World War 2, the division of power between Denmark, Greenland and the US in Greenland has been more or less clear:

The US takes care of Greenland’s security and runs Thule Air Base in the far north of the island, primarily in order to protect the US itself against adversaries on the other side of the Arctic Ocean.

Denmark guards Greenland’s outer borders, including those at sea, and handles Greenland’s internal affairs in close cooperation with Greenland’s own elected leaders, who are acting with increasing autonomy. So far, this arrangement has generally served to the satisfaction of all, including the USA.

However, as the last days have shown, Donald Trump may now possibly want to change this intricate pattern. This may, potentially, challenge the fabric of the Danish Kingdom as well as fragile economic and social developments in Greenland. The whole episode may still, of course, all be forgotten in a few months.

Nevertheless, to an increasing amount of observers here in Denmark this now appears unlikely.

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A real estate deal

President Trump confirmed on US television on Sunday August 18th that he is considering buying Greenland.

“Denmark essentially owns it. We’re very good allies with Denmark, we protect Denmark like we protect large portions of the world. So the concept came up and I said, ‘Certainly I’d be interested.’ Strategically it’s interesting and we’d be interested but we’ll talk to them a little bit. It’s not No1 on the burner, I can tell you that,” he said.

“Well, a lot of things can be done,” he said. “Essentially it’s a large real estate deal.” He indicated that a US take over might relieve Denmark of a financial burden, talking most likely about the annual grant with which Denmark supports Greenland: “It’s hurting Denmark very badly because they’re losing almost $700m a year carrying it. So they carry it at a great loss and strategically for the United States it would be very nice and we’re a big ally of Denmark, we protect Denmark and we help Denmark and we will,” he said.

“An absurd discussion”

By coincidence, the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, was in Nuuk at the time and her reaction indicated well how precarious the situation now suddenly was. With only 5.5 million inhabitants, Denmark is a small country that can hardly afford even the smallest rift in its relations with the US, its second most important trading partner and its most indispensable NATO-partner and military ally for more than seven decades.

On the other hand, there is no way the prime minister could accommodate even the basic premise of the President’s suggestion that Greenland and its people, who are all Danish citizens, can be treated as a sellable commodity and survive as prime minister of Denmark.

In an interview with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation she dismissed the whole concept: “This is an absurd discussion, and of course Kim Kielsen (the premier of Greenland, ed.) has made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, and the discussion stops there”.

The day after, however, at a press conference with Kim Kielsen in Nuuk, she already went to pains to tell Washington and everyone else how strongly Denmark remained committed to the preservation of good relations with the US. In particular, she made strenuous efforts to stress Denmark’s strong commitment to continued security cooperation with the US in Greenland.

She foresaw “even stronger strategic cooperation”, and she remained open to any American wish to increase the US military presence in Greenland in light of the changing security landscape in the Arctic:

“As to the military presence, we have to follow developments,” she said.

At this stage it must have been clear to most onlookers in Washington that Denmark remains ready to discuss any US wish to increase its military presence in Greenland or to increase its own military efforts in Greenland. Kim Kielsen, head of Naalakkersuisut, Greenland’s Self Rule government, also acknowledged Greenland’s growing significance to US security.

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The first US bases in Greenland were established during WW2 and Greenland’s leaders have no problem with the current US military presence as long as it is followed by a respectful dialogue and as long as a reasonable benefits — jobs, infrastructure and so forth — keep flowing Greenland’s way.

Our desire for a more strategic and stronger cooperation with the US on the Arctic is completely untouched
Mette Frederiksen, Danish prime minister
No longer a joke

Two days later, however, on twitter on Wednesday August 21, president Trump cancelled a formal state visit to Denmark, scheduled for September 2. and 3. “Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” he wrote.

(Later, he clarified that he had taken offence also by Mette Frederiksens usage of the word “absurd”).

The cancellation was unprecedented. On 2. of September president Trump was to be received by Queen Margrethe of Denmark, prime minister Mette Frederiksen, by leaders of industry and by the premier of Greenland Kim Kielsen, but now all was cancelled.

At this stage it was no longer possible to remain certain that the president’s thoughts of buying Greenland was a passing confusion, and again the reaction of prime minister Mette Frederiksen illustrated the pressure the Danish government feels.

In her response to a frenzy of global media attention, at a press conference in Copenhagen just hours after the president’s tweet, she spoke again of the close, warm and important relations with the US:

“The US is one of our absolutely most important allies,” she said. Again she focused on security: “Our desire for a more strategic and stronger cooperation with the US on the Arctic is completely untouched, and our invitation to the Americans regarding stronger cooperation remains standing,” she said. Only then did she repeat that Greenland is not for sale. Finally she said it all once again in English to make sure every syllable was legible to Washington.

The day after, on Thursday, official news were issued that Mette Frederiksen had called Donald Trump and that they had spoken. At the time of writing the content of the talks have not been disclosed, but shortly after, in talking to the media, the president said that Mette Frederiksen is “a wonderful woman” and that he appreciated the call. The immediate crisis seems averted.

NEW: Power outages reported in Nuuk, Greenland, lasting for over 10 hours with a windchill of -17 degrees Fahrenheit.

The U.S. would never make the Greenlandic people suffer like this!

Nuuk is the capital of Greenland and is home to 20,000 residents.

Some locals were forced to hang out in their cars to get warm.

As the power comes back on, citizens are being told to be frugal and not use washing machines, dishwashers, and other large appliances.

More here:

🚨 NOW: Rolling power outages have been occurring in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, for TEN HOURS now

20,000 people live in Nuuk, and it’s current -17°F

President Trump would never allow this to happen to you, Greenland!

Time to join us.
pic.twitter.com/1zZeWgvyav

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 29, 2024

The timing could not be more perfect.

Hey Greenland, want a better life?

Denmark is not running things well, time to let the United States step in and make life much better for you!

MGGA!

Make Greenland Great Again!