Millions across the nation anxiously awaited the beginning of Donald Trump’s second term following a divisive and high-stakes election, where a myriad of claims and promises were made by the administration as to the changes they would make to the country. With the turbulence brought about by the conflicting claims the new administration made and its president, both before and after the inauguration, the nation was left in confusion about what was actually going to occur during the first hundred days in office.
As the new administration began their operations, a series of proposals that had previously been seldom mentioned started to be repeated with increasing frequency. Now as President, Trump has called for the annexation of both Greenland and Canada. Although he had previously mentioned the possibility of taking over Greenland during his first term, his sudden fanatical obsession with the idea of the nation taking over other nations was abrupt and deeply concerning to both citizens of the United States and to world leaders, especially those of the nations he had mentioned.
These alarming proposals harken back to the days of American expansionism during the 19th century, where the belief that God had tasked Americans with the duty to expand the nation across the continent – even through places where Native Americans had been living for countless generations. This belief, known as “Manifest Destiny,” shares significant resemblance to the proposals made by the newly-reelected President, a practice that cannot return, as its very nature harms everyone it affects.
One of the major propositions Trump put forth is the seizing of Greenland by the U.S. Deeply controversial by its very nature of threatening the sovereignty of Denmark, both officials of the nation and the citizens of Greenland have unilaterally rejected any such notion. As stated by the minister of Business, Trade, Mineral Resources, Justice and Gender Equality, Naaja H. Nathanielsen, in an interview with Vox, “We are not Americans and do not wish to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders.”
Nathanielsen’s strong sentiments are not uncommon, as a poll conducted by Verian reported that 85% of Greenlanders are against becoming a part of the U.S. Such a change would directly go against the wishes of a vast majority of the population, illustrating the degree to which the proposal is despised by those it affects the most.
Trump defends such a takeover as being “for the protection of the free world,” a claim predicated on Greenland’s strategically important position due to its proximity to Russia. This claim fails to account for the U.S. already having significant influence in the region because of a major U.S. military base already present in Greenland. The move is more likely an attempt at acquiring the immensely valuable natural resources found in Greenland, from its oil reserves and the potential of major mining operations.
Trump’s proposals have not been made without the potential ramifications of how such a change would occur. Having the most powerful military and the largest economy in the world, the U.S. certainly has the resources to be a significant threat, something that increases the danger of any such claims. Trump himself has been unable to decline the possibility of using military or economic force in the annexation of Greenland, essentially threatening a close U.S. ally with either a trade war or full on war if unwilling to cede to the demands of the new administration.
Greenland has not been the only nation receiving such threats as Canada has also been named as another nation that Trump would like to annex and turn into the 51st state. Canada has responded in a similar fashion to Greenland, decisively rejecting any such proposition of joining the U.S., with its prime minister, Justin Trudeau, saying that there is “not a snowball’s chance in hell” of Canada becoming a part of the United States.
Trump has also defended the annexing of Canada under the guise of national security, a dubious claim considering that Canada is one of America’s closest and oldest allies, while also being a close trading partner. Despite the two nations’ histories of working closely together in order to forge a mutually beneficial trading relationship that has strengthened their respective economies, Trump’s recent decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports has severely strained the long-running cooperation between the two countries while providing a glimpse of what a future trade war could entail.
The new tariffs have led to panic in both nations’ economies and have already started to cause substantial costs to all citizens involved. While short-lived, this tariff exemplified both the significant influence that the American economy has on other nations and its ability to be weaponized, something that cannot be abused for the acquisition of new land.
Both Greenland and Canada are at risk of becoming yet another victim to the Manifest Destiny mentality, a principle that the U.S. and its allies have benefited from abandoning. The new President, meanwhile, fully ascribes to the return of the Manifest Destiny, even mentioning it by name in his inaugural address.
While such a transition in foreign policy is only in its infancy, the current trajectory of the new administration promises a return to old habits that will spell disaster. Trump cannot be allowed to bring about the return of American expansionism as it will ultimately harm both the nations America attempts to annex and the very Americans who are supposed to benefit from such a practice.