Trump's Greenland Gambit: A History of U.S. Annexation Threats, Minus the Indigenous Consent
The idea of the United States simply 'buying' or 'annexing' territory, often without a second thought for its inhabitants, is as American as… well, America. This isn't just a Trumpian quirk; it's a deeply rooted pattern. From the Louisiana Purchase (1803), which involved indigenous lands without indigenous say, to the annexation of Hawaii (1898) after U.S.-backed sugar barons overthrew Queen
Liliʻuokalani, the playbook is tragically consistent. Even William Seward’s purchase of Alaska (1867) largely ignored the claims and treaties of Alaska Native peoples. So, when CBS News frames Trump’s Greenland fantasy as a headline-grabbing 'threat,' it conveniently omits this historical context. The U.S. has a long, if uncomfortable, track record of acquiring land simply because it 'needs' it
for 'national security' – a phrase often used to justify expansionism and resource acquisition. The only difference now is the transparent lack of pretense, and perhaps, the fact that a U.S. 'annexation' threat is actually making the news rather than being quietly executed.