What does Donald Trump REALLY want with Greenland?

The US President-elect's ambition to take control of the world's largest island has alarmed the Danish government and stoked fears of a geopolitical crisis. And it isn't just social media mischief-making

- Peter Sheridan

A SECRET hidden agenda may be driving Donald Trump's plan to take control of Greenland. "For purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity," he declared last month. The President-elect's ambition to reshape the world map came days after suggesting that America could retake control of the Panama Canal if shipping tolls were not lowered, and proposed making Canada the 51st US state.

Worryingly, the Republican has refused to rule out the use of military force to seize control of Greenland, currently under the authority of Denmark. Yet multiple experts believe that Trump, long accused of conflating policy with self-interest, may have more disturbing ulterior motives behind his desire to control the world's largest island.

"Greenland is ripe for exploitation," says one former Democratic White House aide. "Is it too far-fetched to think of Greenland with Trump hotels, Trump casinos and Trump golf resorts, Trump mining interests and Trump housing complexes?"

"And Trump's wealthy friends will probably support him because they'll hope to get a slice of the exploitation of Greenland's natural resources: its minerals, energy and fisheries."

Though more than three times the size of Texas, Greenland and its 57,000 residents have carefully protected the Arctic island's fragile environment, limiting mining and tourism, and banning oil exploration.

But it has emerged that Denmark has reached out to Trump's team in recent days about Greenland's security measures, with discussions covering a potential boost in US military presence.

The Danish government wanted to better understand Trump's motivations for the island, US news site Axios reported.