Trump wants Greenland for one reason but could open 'theatre of conflict': expert

Donald Trump could be preparing for a new "theatre of conflict" with China and Russia in Greenland, a political analyst has suggested.

Though the president's administration has made it clear the official line is a takeover of Greenland for security measures, commentator Gaby Hinsliff, writing in The Guardian, believes there is a more obvious reason at play. Material wealth may be a driving force for the Trump team, and the melting of ice caps which would open a new trade route between Asia and North America is a tempting reason, Hinsliff argued.

She wrote, "By the early 2040s, forecasts suggest global heating could have rendered the frozen waters around the north pole – the ocean separating Russia from Canada and Greenland – almost ice-free in summer."

"That potentially opens a new shortcut from Asia to North America, not around the planet’s middle but over the top, creating new routes for trading, shipping, fishing – and, more ominously, for attack."

"A new theatre of conflict is consequently emerging from under the melting ice, and China, Russia and the US are increasingly locked in a battle for dominance over it."

Hinsliff went on to suggest the danger is not just the future theatre of conflict or the material wealth battle, but the "opportunities" other countries may see in Greenland and the Trump administration's desire to take over the country.

She added, "Almost as dangerous for these countries as the threats exposed by a thawing pole are, in a way, the opportunities. Why on earth does the US think it needs to annex friendly Greenland in order to defend this critical Arctic frontier?"

"After all, they’ve had troops stationed on this autonomous Danish territory since the second world war, and Denmark has obligingly made clear they’re more than welcome to bring more. The one benefit that does come uniquely with ownership, interestingly, is rights to the underground riches that could be unlocked as this frozen country heats up."

Former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford has since weighed in on the president's threat to seize Greenland.

He said, "I mean, I would make the argument that this foreign policy, if you want to even call it a foreign policy, is not only reckless, which it is, but it's also clueless."