Key Takeaways
- The United States has a long and complicated history with Greenland, dating back to the early 20th century
- The U.S. has pursued various interests in Greenland, including strategic military locations, mineral resources, and scientific research
- The country’s approach to Greenland has often been marked by a lack of consideration for the island’s unique environment and the needs of its indigenous people
- The rapidly changing climate is altering the region, making it essential for the U.S. to learn from past failures and consider the long-term consequences of its actions
- The greatest value of Greenland lies in its ice sheet, which plays a critical role in regulating global sea levels and climate
Introduction to the US-Greenland Relationship
The relationship between the United States and Greenland is complex and has been marked by periods of cooperation and tension. President Donald Trump’s recent statement that the U.S. will acquire Greenland "whether they like it or not" has reignited discussions about the island’s strategic importance and the country’s intentions. This statement is the latest chapter in a long history of U.S. involvement in Greenland, which stretches back to the early 20th century. In January 2026, U.S., Danish, and Greenlandic officials met at the White House to discuss Trump’s intentions, with the foreign minister of Denmark stating that while there was a "fundamental disagreement," they would "continue to talk."
Early US Involvement in Greenland
The U.S. has a long history of involvement in Greenland, dating back to the early 20th century. In 1909, Robert Peary, a U.S. Navy officer, announced that he had reached the North Pole, a claim that was fiercely debated at the time. Peary had spent years exploring Greenland by dogsled and had taken several Greenlanders to New York, where they died from diseases. He also removed three huge fragments of the Cape York iron meteorite, known to Greenlanders as Saviksoah, which was a unique source of metal that the Greenlandic Inuit had used for centuries to make tools. The largest piece of the meteorite, Ahnighito, weighed 34 tons and is now housed in the American Museum of Natural History. Peary’s actions were part of a broader pattern of U.S. exploitation of Greenland’s natural resources, which has continued to the present day.
World War II and the US Military Presence
During World War II, Greenland played a strategic role in the war effort, with the U.S. military building bases on the island to protect it from Nazi Germany. The new American bases in western and southern Greenland became crucial refueling stops for planes flying from America to Europe. Hundreds of American soldiers were garrisoned at Ivittuut, a remote town on the southern Greenland coast, where they protected the world’s largest cryolite mine. The rare mineral was used for smelting aluminum, which was critical for building airplanes during the war. The U.S. military also built weather stations on Greenland, starting what historians refer to as the "weather war." The weather war ended in 1944 when the U.S. Coast Guard found the last of four German weather stations and captured their meteorologists.
The Cold War and Fanciful Engineering Ideas
During the Cold War, the U.S. military had grandiose plans for Greenland, including the construction of a nuclear-powered base, Camp Century, and a proposed network of rail lines buried inside the ice sheet, known as Project Iceworm. The U.S. Army built Camp Century, which held 200 men in bunkrooms heated to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and became the center of U.S. Army research on snow and ice. The Army also imagined hundreds of miles of rail lines buried inside Greenland’s ice sheet, on which atomic-powered trains would move nuclear-tipped missiles in snow tunnels between hidden launch stations. However, these plans were ultimately abandoned due to the challenges of building in the harsh Arctic environment. The abandoned bases and infrastructure left behind by the U.S. military have had a lasting impact on the island and its people.
The Impact of Climate Change
Today, the U.S. is faced with a new reality in Greenland, as the rapidly changing climate is altering the region. The ice sheet, which is the island’s most valuable resource, is melting at an alarming rate, and the consequences of this are far-reaching. The U.S. and Denmark have conducted geological surveys in Greenland and pinpointed deposits of critical minerals along the rocky, exposed coasts. However, most of the mining so far has been limited to cryolite and some small-scale extraction of lead, iron, copper, and zinc. The permafrost that underlies the island is rapidly thawing and destabilizing infrastructure, including the critical radar installation and runway at Thule, renamed Pituffik Space Base in 2022. The island’s mountain sides are crashing into the sea as the ice holding them together melts. The U.S. must consider the long-term consequences of its actions in Greenland and prioritize the protection of the island’s ice sheet.
The Value of Greenland’s Ice Sheet
The greatest value of Greenland lies in its ice sheet, which plays a critical role in regulating global sea levels and climate. If human activities continue to heat the planet, melting Greenland’s ice sheet, sea level will rise until the ice is gone. Losing even part of the ice sheet, which holds enough water to raise global sea level 24 feet in all, would have disastrous effects for coastal cities and island nations around the world. The U.S. must prioritize the protection of Greenland’s ice sheet and work towards a more sustainable and equitable approach to the island’s resources. This requires a fundamental shift in the way the U.S. approaches its relationship with Greenland, one that prioritizes the needs of the island and its people, rather than short-term gains. By doing so, the U.S. can help to ensure a more secure and sustainable future for all.
