The battle for Greenland: the strategic role of the Arctic in Trump’s “peace through strength” strategy

On December 22, 2024, during the announcement of his candidacy for the post of American ambassador to Denmark, Donald Trump noted the need for Washington to establish control over the autonomous territory within Denmark – Greenland. Trump’s statements on Greenland are a manifestation of the America First foreign policy doctrine and the “peace through strength” strategy.

The Republican leader first proposed acquiring the world’s largest Arctic island in 2019. At the time, Trump said that including Greenland was not a major issue on the United States’ foreign policy agenda.

For the general public, Trump’s statements on Greenland may look quite unexpected and shocking, especially given that the US condemns Russia’s actions to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity, while understanding the context of this issue provides a clear explanation for why these statements are being made now.