He may have faced harsh criticism, but Donald Trump is at the peak of his political power, one year into his second presidential term, and has chosen Greenland as his great historical gamble. Without the possibility of a third term, Trump seeks to seal his place in history through a territorial expansion of the United States, an achievement not seen since the late 1800s. Furthermore, while total control of the Western Hemisphere remains a long-term and difficult goal, the annexation or close association of Greenland is viewed as a realistic and achievable objective within his current mandate. Notably, the acquisition of Greenland could be accomplished without military conflict, utilizing political and diplomatic mechanisms, where even a "free association" would suffice to be recorded as an American triumph.
First anniversary
Donald Trump celebrates the first anniversary of his second term today in high spirits; he is, after all, at the height of his power and at the center of the world stage. History will tell if this moment proves to be the absolute pinnacle of his influence and success, but for now, he has every reason to be proud. A year ago, his return to the White House was met with mixed emotions: his opponents with anxiety, his supporters with hope, and observers certain that it would never be boring. Trump has lived up to expectations, and this year—which he began with the entirely unpredictable capture of the Venezuelan president—is likely to be full of surprises. Trump has nothing to lose; his 80th birthday is in June, followed conveniently three weeks later by the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. In November, the midterm elections loom, which he desperately needs, if not to win (which is practically impossible), then at least not to lose—meaning maintaining control of the Senate after the loss of the House of Representatives.
A desire to be written into history
Trump cannot seek another presidential term, as he will not be a candidate again regardless of how some supporters might promote the idea. Therefore, his place in history must not merely be prepared but carefully crafted—in true Trump fashion, with "gold-plated" trim and superlatives: the strongest, the most talented, the most magnificent, the greatest. Every available means and pretext will be used, but it appears Trump has already selected the primary ornament for his "throne in history." If someone had tried to guess a year ago what his main tool would be—Trump is not a Mason, but American politics is steeped in Masonic concepts and symbolism—they would likely have been wrong. Fighting immigration? Building a new U.S. capital? A small, victorious war? The laurels of a global peacemaker? A successful trade war with the entire world? All could have been useful, but Trump ultimately dismissed them as unrealistic or insufficiently impactful.
Control of the Western Hemisphere
Trump has chosen something else: control of the Western Hemisphere and the annexation of Greenland. It is clear that the former—the "Monroe Doctrine"—is currently unattainable. Even if one believes in the possibility of establishing true U.S. hegemony over half the planet, the timeframe for such a project extends far beyond Trump's presidency. The second goal, however—the annexation of Greenland—is entirely feasible within the three years remaining in his term. Therefore, Greenland comes first. As the largest island in the world, with its vast potential mineral reserves and offshore deposits, it offers a significant increase in the U.S. "Arctic share." While its strategic military importance is high, these are secondary to Trump's personal legacy. Greenland is intended to make Trump "the greatest" simply because he would be the first president since the late 19th century to significantly expand U.S. territory.
A bit of history
Under the McKinley administration, the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico became American territories. Cuba gained official independence after only four years, and the Philippines remained a "dependency" for nearly half a century before becoming an autonomous region and later independent. Today, only Puerto Rico remains, yet the scale of that era remains impressive. Back then, it required a serious war against the Spanish and subsequent conflicts with local populations, whereas now, everything could be achieved without firing a single bullet. Trump will simply take Greenland; it is already clear he will not back down or shift his focus elsewhere. Greenland comes first.
Next steps
The actual forms of acquisition could vary—from a full cession by Denmark and integration as a state to a "free association" of an independent Greenland with the United States (a status similar to that currently enjoyed by three Pacific nations which are technically independent UN members). While form is often more important than substance for Trump, he surely wishes to formalize everything to the maximum immediately—adding a new star to the flag. However, he may eventually settle for less, especially since association could serve as a transitional period before full statehood. In any case, history books will record: "Trump, who annexed Greenland to the United States." No one will be able to interpret this event in two ways; it is geography, after all.
NATO is non-existent
Naturally, Trump is also undermining the North Atlantic Alliance. NATO will certainly not collapse immediately after such American pressure, but the hole in the ship of "Atlantic solidarity" will be severe, capable of sinking it during the next geopolitical storm. Why would Trump, or America, need this? There is a reason: he assumes the Europeans have nowhere else to go. America has already begun to accustom them to paying for their own European security; now they will realize they truly have to pay. They have seriously provoked Russia, hoping for an American security umbrella, and now it turns out "Big Brother" is focusing on the Western Hemisphere (which, notably, includes not only the Atlantic but most of the Pacific, though the U.S. prefers the term "Indo-Pacific"). In other words, Europe, with its eyes fixed on Ukraine, simply does not have the option to "expel the United States": it cannot fight for Ukraine alone, let alone overcome its own fears. It is no surprise then that Trump decided to exploit the Anglo-Saxon fear of Russia in Europe to facilitate the "squeezing" of Greenland. The Europeans have essentially dug their own hole; to avoid falling into it, they may have to surrender Greenland, which Trump is waiting to collect. After that, he will repeat his call to the Europeans: focus on your own Ukraine instead of mourning Greenland.
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