Why Is Greenland So Important to the United States?

Americans did not hear much about Greenland until the inauguration of Donald Trump. Since then the topic has been in the news numerous times. Last Friday, Vice President JD Vance led a delegation to visit a U.S. military base in Greenland. While speaking to military troops, Vance called “for an American partnership with the people of Greenland to counteract Russian and Chinese influence in the region.” George Caldwell at The Daily Signal reported the following. 

The vice president chose as his backdrop the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, where the Space Force has missile-warning and defense systems, as well as space-surveillance sensors for tracking objects in space. He cited the base as an example of Greenland’s strategic importance.

“If a missile was fired from an enemy country or an enemy submarine into the United States, it is the people here before us who would give notice to our brave men and women further south in the United States to let people know what was coming and, God willing, to try to shoot it down and prepare for it.”

Vance also drew attention to Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic, which he says justifies the need for increased U.S. attention to Greenland.

“We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, in Arctic naval routes, and indeed in the minerals of the Arctic territories,” he said.

“We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic, because we know if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind.”

Vance also accused Denmark of neglecting the welfare of Greenland and not allowing it to have self-determination, thereby threatening America’s interests.

“If Greenland doesn’t have self-determination, if the people of Greenland have their future controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, it’s not going to make their lives better off, and most importantly, it’s going to make American and … world security much, much weaker.”