"This is more or less the story one hears in the aftermath of Donald Trump's disgraceful, absurd, and failed attempt to grab Greenland by economic coercion and the menace of lethal force. There may have been grains of truth in his complaints-Denmark's neglect of the island, America's long-standing interest in acquiring it, the implications of new sea lanes as its ice melts, the rising importance of security in the Arctic-but nothing excuses Trump's behavior or language."
"But as a story, it leaves too much out, is too present-oriented, and is too obsessed with the outsize personality of the aged and erratic narcissist who is the 47th president of the United States. It is also misleading. Europa's claim- You're not the person I always thought you were! -is shaky. The relationship between the New World and the Old has always been fraught, and necessarily so."
The episode is framed as an abusive breakup: an initial rescue and romance that turned coercive and threatening, culminating in a failed attempt to seize Greenland. The behavior of the U.S. leadership, including senior lieutenants, is condemned as loutish and unacceptable. Some pragmatic grievances existed—Denmark's neglect, longstanding American interest, new Arctic sea lanes, and growing security stakes—but none justify coercion or threats. Focusing solely on the president's erratic personality overlooks deeper, longstanding tensions between the New World and the Old, rooted in historical departures, wartime interactions, and mutual mistrust.
Read at The Atlantic
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