Trump's Greenland Gambit: A History of U.S. 'Purchases'
Deutsche Welle reports Donald Trump's bold claim that the U.S. should acquire Greenland either 'the easy way or the hard way,' an echo of his previous interest in buying the territory (DW, 01/10/2026). The media highlights the outlandish nature, but ignores the chilling historical context. This isn't just Trump being Trump; it's a direct callback to America's historical 'purchases' or
'annexations' of land, from Louisiana to Alaska, often disregarding indigenous populations or sovereign wishes. One might recall the American acquisition of native lands through treaties signed under duress, or the forceful annexing of Hawaii against the wishes of its monarchy and people. Trump’s rhetoric, while crude, simply vocalizes a consistent, if unsavory, through-line in U.S. foreign
policy: that strategic interests trump national sovereignty, particularly when the 'seller' is perceived as weaker or less significant. Funny how the 'rules-based international order' conveniently applies only when the U.S. isn't doing the taking.