[By Guancha Observer Network, Wang Kaiwen] When it comes to Greenland, the United States is taking bigger actions. Following Vice President Vance's forced visit to the island, The Washington Post reported on April 1st, citing three sources familiar with the matter, that the White House is studying the cost of "taking over" Greenland, which represents the most concrete effort by Trump to turn his wish of acquiring this Danish territory into an executable policy so far.

Despite the international outrage and condemnation from Denmark triggered by Trump's "land grab" attempt, it has not affected the U.S. progress in any way. Sources familiar with the matter said that in recent weeks, White House officials have been studying the fiscal impact of Greenland becoming a U.S. territory, including the cost of providing government services to its 58,000 residents.

Two sources said that staff at the White House Office of Management and Budget are trying to understand the potential costs of maintaining the island if Greenland were to be "acquired." They are also attempting to estimate how much revenue Greenland's natural resources could bring to the U.S. Treasury.

"We are discussing how cost-effective it would be for the U.S. if we obtained Greenland. What would be the cost of maintaining Greenland as part of U.S. territory?" said a senior White House official. "If we obtain Greenland, how much would it cost us to care for these people as part of our Arctic (security) umbrella?"

The official added that the cost analysis is based on whether "the Greenlanders vote in favor."

On March 28th local time, Vance (third from right), U.S. Senator Mike Lee (second from right) and others visited the U.S. military base in Greenland. Mike Lee X platform account

It was reported that one of the options being considered by the U.S. side is for the U.S. government to offer Greenland better treatment than what Denmark currently provides. Denmark currently subsidizes Greenland with approximately $600 million annually.

"The number will be much higher than that," said an American official familiar with the plan. "The key point is, 'we will pay you more than Denmark does.'"

Another source familiar with the matter said that the White House is studying how to "increase the stakes" to make Greenland's integration into the U.S. more attractive.

According to officials familiar with Trump's thinking, among the potential "acquisitions" he proposed, including Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Canada, he considers Greenland the easiest to obtain. The official also claimed that, from Trump's perspective, "this is reasonable in terms of national security strategy."

In January this year, the right-wing think tank "American Action Forum" stated that if purchased at market value, Greenland would cost $200 billion based on its mineral reserves, but its strategic value in the North Atlantic would approach $3 trillion.

The Washington Post reported that the Trump administration, to some extent, wants to persuade the American public that the federal government will recover the cost of acquiring Greenland through mining royalties and taxes from commercial activities.

However, the report pointed out that the potential economic benefits of Greenland's mineral resources are still unclear, and the unpredictable nature of mining, coupled with the harsh climate conditions in the region, increases the difficulty of extraction.

Since the 19th century, Greenland's strategic position in the North Atlantic has been a focal point for U.S. strategists. In 1867, then U.S. Secretary of State William Seward first proposed purchasing the world's largest island. During World War II, when Denmark surrendered to Nazi Germany, discussions about annexing Greenland resurfaced as the U.S. occupied the island.

Trump, during his first presidential term, also proposed purchasing Greenland. As he began his second term, America's ambition to annex Greenland became increasingly apparent.

Vice President Vance visited the U.S. military base in Greenland last week despite protests. He claimed that Trump's desire to control Greenland was due to the Danes' "poor performance" and promised the Greenlanders: "We hope they choose to cooperate with us because we are the only nation on Earth that respects their sovereignty and security, as their security is our security."

Trump repeatedly declared that the U.S. would "get" Greenland.

"We will get Greenland. One hundred percent," Trump said in an interview with NBC on March 29th. When asked whether military force would be used, he responded, "We are very likely to achieve this without resorting to military force," but "I will not give up any possibility."

In response to America's ambitions, newly elected Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized on March 30th that Greenland does not belong to the U.S. or anyone else; the future of Greenland will be determined by its residents.

Danish authorities have repeatedly expressed willingness to accept increased U.S. military and economic presence in Greenland without changing territorial boundaries. After Vance's "uninvited" visit, Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen announced on March 29th that she would visit Greenland from April 2nd to 4th. This visit aims to "strengthen ties with Greenland."

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7488559200080118291/

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