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President-elect Trump has recently floated the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland, but would it actually be of any use to us? Actually, yes. Greenland's proximity to the Arctic, the U.S., and Europe all make it a critical asset.
National Security analyst Ed Turzanski says that it's also rich in rare-earth minerals that are needed for tech development. He said, "Given its geopolitical situation, and its natural resources, it makes sense for us to express an interest in Greenland." He says the Danish Government, which currently controls Greenland, hasn't done much to develop those resources.
Turzanski also says that Greenland may have caught the eye of both Russia and China, and Greenland might not be able to fend them off. He said, "Unfortunately, the Danish Government has been relatively inattentive to developing military assets in that area." Needless to say, Greenland falling into either of their hands would be a massive security risk for the United States.
That might have been a factor in Trump deciding to speak out on the issue. This may have all been a ploy by Trump to get the Danish Government to step up when it comes to Greenland's defense. Turzanski pointed out that, "Trump cleared his throat, said he had a strong interest, and all of a sudden the Danish Government, which wasn't spending anything, said, 'We're going to spend $1.5 billion immediately.'"