The Greenland Crisis: Will Trump's Claims Trigger a New Crisis?

US President Donald Trump's claims that Greenland should come under US control have once again become a topic of discussion. American Studies Expert Şanlı Bahadır Koç stated that Trump's statement is not only a pressure tool on Denmark but also on Europe.Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated her country's position, saying that 'Greenland is not for sale'. Trump's statements have brought about new discussions in terms of US-Denmark relations, the balance within NATO, and the geopolitical competition in the North Pole.American Studies Expert Şanlı Bahadır Koç stated that a certain segment within the Trump administration has never given up on the issue of Greenland:

One thing is for sure; there is a segment within the Trump administration that has never given up on the issue of Greenland. This was obvious even before this statement. Now, there could be several explanations for this. One, they might really believe that Greenland is important for America's security and the current situation there is not sufficient. But beyond that, the desire to dominate the area is probably the determining factor. They want to use this issue as a pressure tool on Denmark and Europe. But it's not easy to imagine Denmark and Europe giving up on Greenland.

Koç said that if Trump were to bring up the option of a military intervention, it would have serious consequences not only for NATO but also for the future of the Western alliance:

If they were to carry out a military intervention, the US-Europe relationship would be severely damaged. Europeans would be in a very difficult, even ridiculous, and pathetic situation if their greatest ally were to do such a thing.

Koç stated that if Trump were to take a concrete step, saying 'We're taking Greenland', it would not only lead to international backlash but also to significant objections within the US:

If the Trump administration were to take such a step, a small group within the Congress, or even within the Republican Party, might object. Besides the negative impact this would have on the NATO alliance, there's also the risk that it could encourage and legitimize expansionist and interventionist tendencies in many other countries around the world.

Koç reminded that Trump has taken many steps that were deemed impossible and therefore, the possibility should not be completely dismissed:

If Trump were to say 'Let's take Greenland', generals, the opposition, and even a small percentage of his own party might object. I'm not sure if he would be that audacious, but Trump has done many things that were previously thought impossible. Maybe he's just repeating these statements to remind Europeans of their weaknesses and to bully them. He doesn't value the European alliance much, as is known. He sees Europeans as a burden, a free-riding group for America.

Koç said that Trump is using Europe's long-standing dependence on the US for security as a significant leverage:

The fact that Europe has been delegating its defense to America for decades is a problem. Europe's economy is almost as large as America's, but they cannot form an effective military force. This is true. But there's another side to the coin: if the US were to lose Europe's support due to such actions as invading Greenland, Washington and New York would also lose a lot. Europeans could withdraw their investments, impose tariffs, and even sanctions on America. An America that has lost Europe would not be as strong and effective in global institutions. It would still be a powerful country, but it would become an ordinary great power. Only then would America understand the value of Europe.