Fantasy or PR stunt? Why Greenland is not taking Trump noise lightly

Global geopolitics is about to be shaken up again, with Donald Trump's return as U.S. President set to be as unpredictable as his previous term in the White House.

Let's just consider Trump's suggestion of taking control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, threatening the use of force and the introduction of trade tariffs to help him achieve his aims. 

The President-elect has called Greenland vital for U.S. security. 

The diplomatic Danes were not entirely taken by surprise by his recent pronouncements. Trump made his first public bid for Greenland in 2019 during his first term. Since last November's election win, he's been as blunt as ever, even before assuming the powers of an American president.

Six years ago Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the suggestion of an American takeover "absurd." This time around Frederiksen says allowing the U.S. to buy Greenland is merely "fantasy."

But Trump's remarks have nevertheless kickstarted a flurry of political meetings in Copenhagen meeting rooms full of concerned officials; especially if there is a trade tariff threat that could be disastrous for the Danish economy.

Denmark's parliament, the Folketinget, has two members from Greenland representing the 57,000 native Greenlanders. 

According to Greenland's Aaja Chemnitz, a member of the Danish Parliament, Trump's announcement and his son's visit was no more than a "PR stunt."

The Innuit Party MP added: "Greenland is not for sale. Never has been for sale. It would never will be for sale. It was quite disrespectful towards the Greenlandic people and the indigenous peoples of Greenland."

She added that the U.S., already with a military base in Greenland called the Pituffik Space Base, should be more diplomatic. 

The Arctic region is increasingly strategic for a number of countries. It contains minerals and oil which are increasingly being revealed as the ice cover recedes.

Denmark has acknowledged that it has not focused enough on the defense of Greenland - the world's biggest island with the smallest population density. 

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said: "We have neglected for many years to make the necessary investments in ships and in aircraft that will help monitor our kingdom. That is what we are now trying to do something about."

But spending more on Greenland could impact how much Denmark contributes to its NATO budget.

"This is not necessarily a matter of budget. This is a matter of political will," argued Chemnitz. "I think in many ways it's important to defend the area around Greenland. I think especially the area between Greenland, Iceland and the UK is something that we're focusing especially on.

"I also think that it would be much better to have a better defense paid by the Danish government, together with the Greenlandic government, than have an American military presence in Greenland."

Arctic peace

There have been tensions between the Greenlandic people and Danish authorities over the former's treatment for decades with accusations of their being taken for granted. Chemnitz would like Denmark's armed forces to increase its patrolling around Greenland.

She said: "I don't think a U.S. presence or a NATO presence is what we need in this situation. I think it's important to say that we want peace in our area. We want peace in the Arctic area. We want a good, but also a peaceful, collaboration with the U.S. and Canada."

It is a reminder that despite its isolation, Greenland does matter to the world's big powers because of its location and natural resources. There is an election there in April, and once again there will be talk of independence. 

In 2009, Denmark passed a law that allows Greenland to become independent if a majority of the local Innuit residents votes for it.

As well as Denmark and Europe, there will be more than a passing interest in the next election in the United States, Russia and China too.