Greenland would be largest U.S. land acquisition if Trump acquired it

President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over Greenland, part of the Danish kingdom for more than 300 years — a proposal Denmark has said it does not want to pursue. At 836,000 square miles, Greenland would be the largest territory the United States ever added, according to the National Archives, the U.S. census and the C.I.A. World Factbook.

The idea joins a history of American territorial expansion including the Louisiana Purchase, the Mexican Cession and the Alaska Purchase, but Mr. Trump has framed Greenland in terms of national security, citing threats from Russia and China. He has also spoken of the island’s size and of owning it as “psychologically needed for success,” and said he would pursue a deal “the easy way” or “the hard way.” Historians quoted in the reporting suggested his real estate instincts and appetite for large territory help explain his fixation.

This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting to discuss Greenland’s future with Danish and Greenlandic officials, both of whom say the island is not for sale. Greenlanders have called the proposal insulting — “We don’t sell our souls,” said Aqqaluk Lynge — and American officials note a longstanding defense pact and a history of U.S. military presence on the island. Whether any acquisition will occur remains uncertain; Mr. Trump and his team have not been deterred so far.

Key Topics

World, Greenland, Donald Trump, Denmark, Marco Rubio, Aqqaluk Lynge