Why Trump Wants Greenland NOW: Securing the Arctic, Rare Earths & America's Edge

00:00
Good Tuesday morning, Patriots, and welcome back to O'Connor's Write Stand. I'm your host, John O'Connor, software programmer by day, concert or truth seeker by night. I hope everyone had a great Christmas with family and friends. This will be our last episode of O'Connor's Write Stand for 2025, episode 46 since we launched on June 7th. Not bad for a guy whose media experience was limited to yelling at his computer screen during a Biden press conference. Seriously though.

00:30
This show has come a long way. Zero media background, complete shot in the dark, but we are gaining traction in a crowded conservative market. And I am so blessed to have you all make this journey with me and thank you to each and every one of you. There have been a lot of changes over the past few months and I've got more coming in the new year. Patriots, happy new year to you all. Now let's dig in. We've got important things to discuss. Today.

00:59
we are talking about something the media keeps calling crazy or absurd. President Trump's push to acquire Greenland. And before you roll your eyes and think, here we go again with Trump's wild ideas, I want you to ask yourself one question. When was the last time Trump really proposed something the media called impossible that didn't turn out to be, well, brilliant? They said he couldn't win in 2016.

01:29
He won. They said he couldn't build the wall. He built 450 miles of it. They said he couldn't bring back manufacturing jobs. He brought over one million back. They said he couldn't force pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices. He just got 14 of the world's largest drug companies to slash prices by 90%. So when Trump says we need Greenland for national security, maybe, just maybe,

01:59
We should listen instead of mocking. Democrats are losing their minds. Senator Chris Van Hollen said, foreign policy is not a real estate game. Senator Chris Coons said he can't take Trump's comments seriously. Chuck Schumer calling it dangerous. The media is running stories about how 85 % of Greenlanders don't want to join America. But here's what nobody's asking. What if Trump's right? What?

02:26
if Greenland is essential to American security? What if China and Russia are already making moves to control the Arctic and we are sitting here debating while they are acting? Today I'm walking you through why Trump wants Greenland, what it would cost us, and why Democrats oppose everything Trump does, even when it's clearly in America's interest. Here's the question I want you thinking about.

02:56
If Greenland has trillions in rare earth minerals that China desperately wants, sits on the most strategic military position in the Arctic, and would give America control over future Arctic shipping lanes, why would we not want it? The right stand starts now.

03:31
Patriots, let's start with the basics. Where is Greenland and why does it matter? Greenland is the world's largest island, 836,000 square miles. That's bigger than Alaska, Texas, and California combined. It sits between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, right between North America and Europe, and it's currently a self-governing territory of Denmark. Now,

03:57
Most Americans think of Greenland as just a giant ice cube with 57,000 people living on it. And yeah, that's part of the story. But what the media won't tell you is that Greenland is the most strategically important piece of real estate on planet Earth right now. Let me explain why. First, military positioning. Senator Ted Cruz held a Senate hearing in February where he laid this out perfectly.

04:23
He said, Greenland sits directly on the shortest flight path for intercontinental ballistic missiles traveling from Russia and the Middle East to the United States, making its positioning critical to our security. Just think about that. If Russia or Iran wanted to launch a nuclear strike on America, those missiles would fly over Greenland. That's why we already have the Patufik space base there, formerly called Duel Air Base.

04:50
It's the northernmost US military installation providing critical missile warning and space surveillance. Every single missile defense system we have depends on early warning from Greenland. Without Greenland, we are blind to incoming threats. Second, Arctic control. This is the part Democrats don't understand because they're not thinking three moves ahead. Climate change, whether you believe it's manmade or natural, it's melting Arctic ice.

05:19
And that's opening up new shipping routes that didn't exist before. The Northern Sea route could cut shipping time between Asia and Europe by 40%. Think about what that means for global trade. We are talking about a new Panama Canal, except it runs through the Arctic. And who's already positioning themselves to control that route? Well, no one other than Russia and China. Russia has dozens of active icebreakers, including nuclear powered ones. China is building up its fleet.

05:49
You know how many icebreakers America has? Two. The UK? One. We are completely outmatched in Arctic capabilities. A Rand Europe defense analyst said, is probably the key capability gap between NATO and its competitors at the moment. We're letting Russia and China dominate the Arctic while we sit here arguing about whether Trump's idea is absurd. Third.

06:18
The China threat Beijing has been trying to get influence in Greenland for years. They want to build airports. They want mining contracts. They want a foothold in the Arctic because they know whoever controls the Arctic controls the future. The US intelligence community released a report saying China's long-term goal is to expand access to Greenland's natural resources.

06:42
as well as to use the same access as a key strategic foothold for advancing China's broader economic aims in the Arctic. Let me translate that from boring bureaucrat speak. China wants to own Greenland's resources and use Greenland to project power in the Arctic. And if Denmark, a country with a population of six million and a defense budget smaller than the New York City Police Department,

07:09
If they are the ones standing between China and Greenland, how long do you think they can hold out? Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland in March and accused Denmark of under-investing in the island's security. Because they are. Denmark spends more money on bicycle lanes in Copenhagen than they do defending Greenland. That's not a joke, that's reality. So when Trump says we need Greenland for national security, he's not being dramatic.

07:38
He's being accurate. This isn't about ego. This isn't about real estate. This is about making sure that the most strategic piece of land in the Arctic doesn't fall into the hands of our enemies. Do you want China controlling the Arctic? Do you want Russia dominating the northern sea route? Because if we don't act, it seems like this is where we're headed. All right, let's talk money. Because Greenland isn't just strategically important. It's economically invaluable.

08:08
Greenland has some of the world's largest untapped deposits of rare earth elements. We are talking about minerals that are essential for modern life. Smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, military hardware, semiconductors, AI. All of it depends on rare earth elements. And right now China controls 90 % of global rare earth processing. Let me say that again, 90%. Beijing has weaponized this monopoly. In 2010,

08:37
they restricted rare earth exports to Japan over a diplomatic dispute. In 2023, they limited gallium and germanium exports, minerals fundamental to computer chips. In late 2024, they banned exports of these minerals to the United States entirely. Think about what that means. If China cuts us off from rare earths, we can't build fighter jets.

09:02
We can't manufacture semiconductors, we can't produce electric vehicle batteries, we are completely dependent on a hostile foreign power for the materials that make modern civilization possible. Greenland changes that equation entirely. The European Commission found that Greenland possesses 25 to 34 minerals deemed critical raw materials. We're talking about zinc, lithium, graphite, nickel, copper, cobalt, uranium, gold, and oil.

09:32
The National Mining Association estimated that America's domestic mineral reserves are worth $12 trillion, and that's just here in the lower 48. Greenland's reserves are double that likely. But here's the problem. Denmark and the European Union have suffocating environmental regulations that make it impossible to actually mine these resources. Projects that are underway in Greenland are bogged down in legal disputes and red tape.

10:02
So all those trillions of dollars in minerals are just sitting there, frozen, while China mines their rare earths and sells them to us at inflated prices. If Greenland becomes a U.S. territory, American companies could invest billions in mining infrastructure. We could establish a Greenland to America rare earth supply chain that ends our dependence on China. We could create thousands of high-paying mining and manufacturing jobs.

10:30
and we could make trillions in revenue from mineral extraction. A study by the American Action Forum estimated Greenland's mineral reserves alone are worth approximately $186 billion based on current market prices. But that's using current extraction rates. With American technology and investment, that number could be five times higher. Plus, Greenland has a mass of oil and natural gas reserves.

10:58
The island sits an estimated 50 billion barrels of oil. That's more than half of what Saudi Arabia has. Right now those reserves are locked under ice. But with climate change melting Arctic ice, those resources are becoming accessible. So, let's do the math, Patriots. Strategic military positioning, check. Control of Arctic shipping lanes, check. Trillions in rare earth minerals and oil, check.

11:28
Energy independence for Middle Eastern dictatorships. Check. This isn't just a good deal. This is the deal of the century. And I think Trump sees this. But do you see it? Now, Democrats in the media act like Trump wanting to buy Greenland is some unprecedented insanity. But let me give you a quick history lesson. America has bought land multiple times throughout our history. And every time critics said it was a waste of money. Every time, they were wrong.

11:58
In 1803, Thomas Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. We bought 828,000 square miles from France for $15 million. Critics called it Jefferson's Folly. They said it was worth the swampland that we'd never use. You know what the Louisiana Purchase included? Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri,

12:25
Iowa and parts of Minnesota, New Mexico and Texas. We doubled the size of the United States. The greatest land deal in history. In 1867, Secretary of State William Seward negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The media called it Seward's Folly and Seward's Icebox. They mocked him relentlessly, said we'd never get any value from a frozen wasteland.

12:54
You know what Alaska has given us? Gold, oil, natural gas, strategic military positioning against Russia. Alaska's North Slope oil fields alone have produced 18 billion barrels of oil worth trillions of dollars. Alaska is worth more than the entire national debt, but the media called, so we're crazy for buying it. Now here's the kicker. America has tried to buy Greenland twice before.

13:23
In 1867, the same year we bought Alaska, the same Secretary of State Seward explored both buying Greenland and Iceland for $5.5 million. The deal never materialized because Denmark wasn't interested. In 1946, President Harry Truman, a Democrat by the way, offered Denmark $100 million in gold for Greenland. Adjusted for today's economy, that's about $12.9 billion.

13:53
Truman's advisor said Greenland was vital to defending against Soviet bombers that could fly over the Arctic Circle. Denmark rejected the offer, but we got basing rights anyway through NATO. So Trump isn't inventing this idea. He's continuing a strategic vision that American leaders have had for over 150 years. The difference is Trump actually has the guts to follow through. Now,

14:22
What would Greenland cost today? Well, estimates seem to vary. The American Action Forum put together a comprehensive analysis. If we use Truman's 1946 offer as a percentage of GDP, we'd pay between $12.9 and $19.6 billion. If we valued Greenland based on its mineral reserves, we'd pay around $186 billion.

14:49
If we valued it like we valued the Florida purchase, we'd play closer to $200 billion. Some analysts say it could cost as much as $1 trillion to account for infrastructure development and compensating Greenland's 57,000 residents. Let's say it costs $1.5 trillion all in. Is that expensive? Sure. But we just spent $800 billion on our annual defense budget.

15:18
We have sent over $200 billion to Ukraine. We are $36 trillion in debt. If we can find $200 billion for Ukraine, we can find $1.5 trillion for the single most strategically important piece of land in the world, especially when that land will pay for itself through mineral extraction and energy production. This isn't spending, this is investing.

15:47
And it's the smartest investment America could probably make right now. Okay, let's talk about why Democrats are so against this. Because their opposition has nothing to do with policy and everything to do with politics. Democrats oppose Trump's Greenland push for the same reason they opposed everything else Trump's done. Because it's Trump. That's it. That's the whole reason. Remember when Trump said we should secure the border? Democrats called him racist.

16:16
Then the border crisis got so bad that even Biden had to admit we needed more border security. Trump was right all along. Remember when Trump said China was ripping us off on trade? Democrats said he was starting a trade war. Then Biden kept most of Trump's terrorists because, shocker, Trump was right. Remember when Trump said we needed energy independence? Democrats mocked him and said we needed to focus on climate change.

16:43
Then gas hit $5 a gallon under Biden and suddenly energy independence sounded pretty good. Trump has been right about most things and Democrats have opposed him on everything. Not because his ideas are bad, but because they can't let him get a win. Senator Chris Coons said Trump's Greenland push could hurt U.S. alliances and undermine international stability. Really, Chris?

17:11
More unstable than letting China and Russia dominate the Arctic? More damaging to alliances than standing by while Denmark fails to defend one the most strategic locations on Earth? Senator Chris Van Hollen said, foreign policy is not a real estate game. Except when it is, Chris. The Louisiana Purchase was a real estate deal. The Alaska Purchase was a real estate deal. Both transformed America's strategic position.

17:39
But you don't care about that because criticizing Trump is more important than thinking. Democrats also love to point to polls showing that 53 % of Americans oppose acquiring Greenland. But you know what? Americans also opposed the Louisiana Purchase. They opposed the Alaska Purchase. They opposed every major strategic move America's ever made until after it succeeded. Then everyone pretends they supported it all along.

18:08
Public opinion doesn't determine whether something is strategically wise. Leadership does. And Trump is showing leadership while Democrats are showing cowardice. Here's the other thing Democrats won't admit. They don't want Trump to succeed because if he does acquire Greenland, he goes down in history alongside Thomas Jefferson and William Seward as one of the greatest strategic minds in American history. And they can't stomach that. So they will oppose it.

18:37
They will mock it. They will call it absurd and dangerous and unprecedented. And when Trump succeeds, and he likely will, they will pretend they were never against it. Do you see through their hypocrisy? Because I sure do. So how does Trump actually make this happen? Because Denmark's government keeps saying, Greenland is not for sale. Well, here's the thing. Greenland is a self-governing territory.

19:05
That means Greenlanders can decide their own future. And while current polls show most Greenlanders oppose joining America, that can change. Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland on December 22nd. Landry's job is to open dialogue with Greenlanders and show them what America can offer that Denmark can't. What can America offer? Jobs, investment, security, freedom.

19:35
Right now Greenland gets about $600 million per year in subsidies from Denmark. That's about $10,800 per person. Trump can offer to triple that. He can offer Greenlanders American citizenship, visa-free travel to the United States, and protection under the US military. Trump posted on Truth Social in March. We are ready to invest billions of dollars to create new jobs and make you rich. And if you so choose,

20:04
We welcome you to be part of the greatest nation anywhere in the world." That's a hell of a lot better than what Denmark's giving them. Denmark treats Greenland like a colony. They extract resources, they impose regulations, and they give Greenlanders scraps. America would treat Greenland like Alaska, a full partner with representation, investment, and opportunity. Plus, Greenland's already moving towards independence from Denmark.

20:33
Their recent election show saw pro-independence parties win big. The center-right Democratic Party won 30 % of the vote. NALORAK, the most pro-independence party, came in second with 25%. Greenlanders want to break away from Denmark. The question is, do they want independence or do they want to join America? Trump's also not ruling out pressure on Denmark.

21:01
He's floated the idea of tariffs on Danish pharmaceutical exports, including drugs like Ozempic that make Denmark billions. If Denmark refuses to negotiate, Trump can make it expensive for them to keep Greenland. This is classic Trump negotiation. Offer a great deal, show what's in it for the other side, and if they refuse, apply pressure until they come to the table. It's how he got Mexico to pay for border enforcement.

21:30
It's how he got China to renegotiate trade. It's how he got 14 pharmaceutical companies to slash drug prices. And it's likely how he will get Greenland. Patriots, let me bring this together. Trump wants Greenland because it's the most strategically important piece of land in the world right now. It controls the Arctic. It's critical for missile defense. It has trillions in rare earth minerals and oil. And if we don't secure it, China and Russia will.

22:00
Democrats oppose it because they oppose everything Trump does. They'd rather see China dominate the Arctic than give Trump a historic victory. That's not leadership, that's pettiness. History will judge this moment. Either America acts now to secure our future, or we sit back and watch China and Russia carve up the Arctic while we are stuck buying rare earths from Beijing at inflated prices. Trump sees what Democrats can't see.

22:28
that Greenland is the Alaska of the 21st century. And just like the critics that mocked Seward for buying Alaska, critics are mocking Trump for pursuing Greenland. But in 20 years when Greenland is producing trillions in rare earth and oil, when our Arctic military bases are defending America from Russian and Chinese threats, when the Northern Sea route is controlled by the US Navy, then everyone will say,

22:57
Of course we needed Greenland. That was obvious. I remember Trump bringing this up in 2019 and my first reaction was, why? I don't get it. And since his reelection, he has been bringing it up more frequently, which is why I needed to research it. It's obvious now, Patriots. Trump sees it, I see it, but the question is, do you see it? Well, Patriots, that's our show for today. Trump's playing chess while Democrats are playing checkers.

23:27
So hit that subscribe, follow, and or like button and thank you in advance. Check out O'Connor's Quick Strike on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This podcast is Tuesdays and Thursdays. Find me on X at O'Connor Podcasts. Share this episode. The media won't tell you why Greenland matters, so it's up to us to get the message out. Have a great rest of your day, Patriots, until Thursday. Hold the line unapologetically and happy freaking New Year. This is John O'Connor, signing off.