President Trump is one of the most active, energetic presidents in American history. No one would doubt that. He has restored our prestige around the world, and given Americans a reason—many reasons for all of us to be proud of our nation once again.
This rugged rush to enhance our prestige at home and abroad reminds many of our 25th President, William McKinley. Part of Trump’s “Restore America” mission included restoring that name to a key range in Alaska, despite opposition from the state’s U.S. senators.
Frankly, I thought our new trend-setting leader was making a mistake by looking to former President William McKinley. Sure, Trump has been implementing tariffs, rolling out a broad protectionist program just as McKinley had done. Disgruntled assassins shot at them both, too, but McKinley didn’t survive. Also, McKinley confronted different global pressures and domestic troubles, nothing like the same magnitude as those of Trump. The Trump-McKinley connection seemed a little overplayed to me. Trump is his own President, better than Reagan, even though not as big as Washington or Lincoln.
But Trump’s expansionist agenda, his decision-making, and diplomatic efforts to acquire more land do justify the McKinley Mantle. The 25th President presided over considerable expansion of the American map during his administration: Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Hawaii!
Only President James K. Polk had done more to expand the United States. Now it’s Trump’s turn. He’s talked about retaking the Panama Canal (do it!). He has joked (half-seriously) about turning Canada into the 51st State. I am still in favor of that proposal, but Trump should demand that all the provinces follow Alberta’s model of increased conservative governance, and let the French-speaking Province of Quebec become its own country. Who needs the drama of two official languages, right?
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Trump also wants more land by adding another massive island: Greenland.
This made no sense to me either, at first, but this acquisition is worth it. Greenland should belong to the United States.
The Arctic Sea routes are hotly contested now, and the two greatest rivals to American hegemony, Russia and China, are stirring up trouble in our own backyard, trying to get a piece of the Arctic Sea action. They’re not just competing for resources: they want to impose military dominance. We can’t let them win.
They have to be stopped, and Trump knows this.
President Trump is broadening the vision of what America can be, and his vision of American expansion is welcome, but a forced invasion and annexation of Greenland is wrong. He can talk tough and apply diplomatic pressure, but not one American life should be lost in the process.
Trump needs to sweeten the deal to encourage Denmark to give up claims to the property. Some reports suggest the United States government will offer $700 billion! He’s already started ratcheting up the tariffs on NATO countries that oppose the acquisition. He hosted a contentious meeting with key Danish leaders, and they looked pretty shaken after the meeting. Trump is serious, and the Danes need to get serious about letting the land go.
Granted, the current prime minister of Greenland has stated that the country stands with Denmark. That is all politics. If he openly declared his interest in joining the United States, the political and military sanctions from his current home country would be swift and inexorable. Residents in Greenland have shared that they would like to join the United States.
The resources in Greenland represent an untapped wealth of opportunity, including iron ore, graphite, copper, zinc, gold, uranium, titanium, vanadium, and diamonds. You name it, and Greenland probably has it. After all these years, Denmark has done very little to expand on these opportunities and help the residents there. Time for someone else to take over.
Better defense, stronger national security, cutting out our adversaries from rare minerals: what is not to like about this deal?
The United States purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million in gold. I think the Danish got the better end of the deal. The US Virgin Islands remains a territory, has turned into a Democrat sinkhole of liberalism, they still drive on the wrong side of the road, and they have been attacking gun rights and violating the United States Constitution. Their United States delegate is a piece of work, as well, but that’s another story.
It’s time for the Danish give up Greenland and let another Western power finish the work of caretaking the island.
Are there risks to this acquisition? European leaders are threatening that they will collapse NATO! The same NATO that sent a trifling number of soldiers to defend the island, and one of the members, just recalled those same troops after Trump threatened tariffs.
So what if NATO disbands over Greenland? The United States has been picking up the tab for European defense for decades. The other Western powers need to grow up and take care of their own troubles. Russia has lasted this long in its extended campaign against Ukraine because European countries have not beefed up their own militaries. Why? They relied on the United States to do most of the fighting!
And that includes Denmark.
That ancient nation is like a savvy Grandma: wily, determined to remain free, and control everything that belongs to her. But what happens when Grandma gets up in years? She starts forgetting where she left certain things (car keys, walker, the health alert button). Then she faces the stark, painful reality that she cannot take care of herself anymore. She still has a mind for independence. She still wants to take care of herself. But she can’t. The kids have to step in, start taking care of the house, and put her up in a nursing home.
Denmark needs to face the facts: the country can’t defend Greenland the way the United States can. Stephen Miller is spot-on when he states that countries are not entitled to territories that they cannot control or maintain. The United States has been footing the bill for much of Greenland’s defense, especially during World War II, when the Nazis had overrun Denmark.
How do the Greenlanders themselves feel about becoming Americans?
They are ready to end Danish rule. A pro-Independence party holds the governing majority in the Greenland parliament. They have also signaled that they don’t want to sell their country out, fearing what they may lose from a USA takeover. One poll stated that 85 percent of Greenlanders oppose the American acquisition. Global leadership cannot wait for the approval of any one population. The status quo is always preferable, but not in the long-term. Besides, Puerto Ricans weren’t exactly thrilled to join the United States, either, but in the long run, it worked out for them. The same will happen for Greenlanders.
Trump’s designs for Greenland cannot be ignored: Russia and China must not have the final say in the region, and this threat looms larger since the Canadian prime minister practically bent the knee to China in their latest meeting. President Trump has revived and revamped the Monroe Doctrine, showing a keen commitment to protecting American interests in the Western Hemisphere. That mission includes incorporating Greenland into the Red, White, and Blue.
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