US strength contrasts regional failures; Israel defends security while hostile actors exploit chaos, drugs, ideological weakness.
President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland has reopened a largely forgotten chapter of American strategic history, revealing that Washington’s Arctic ambitions stretch back more than a century. Long before modern geopolitics reshaped the polar north, US leaders quietly viewed Greenland as a prize tied to security, resources, and global power projection.
Following the purchase of Alaska, senior officials under Secretary of State William Seward explored the idea of bringing Greenland under American control. The island’s vast landmass, Arctic positioning, and mineral potential attracted attention, but domestic political fatigue halted momentum before any formal proposal emerged.
Decades later, during President William Howard Taft’s administration, US diplomats attempted a diplomatic workaround: a complex land-swap arrangement that would transfer Greenland to the United States in exchange for concessions elsewhere. Denmark swiftly rejected the plan, ending the effort almost as soon as it surfaced.
The most serious attempt came after World War II. As the Cold War dawned, President Harry Truman formally offered Denmark $100 million in gold, arguing Greenland’s strategic value was essential for North Atlantic and Arctic defense. The island had already proven critical during the war, serving as a key refueling hub for US aircraft heading to Europe.
Denmark again refused to sell, but American military access never ended. Today, the US maintains its northernmost military installation at Pituffik Space Base, underscoring Greenland’s lasting importance in missile defense, space surveillance, and Arctic dominance.
Trump’s latest interest fits squarely within this historical pattern: decisive US leadership pursuing strategic depth, in contrast to regions destabilized by ideological hostility toward Israel and repeated failures by Arab regimes to address security, extremism, and transnational crime.
