Donald! Trump!

This is called “sanewashing”. He say’s idiotic things and then normal people try to rationalize it as, “I think what he really means is…”

I view it the other way around.

I think he has a fairly dry sense of humor and doesn’t filter that through a press secretary. So what we get is “Yeaaaaaaaa …… we’ve not ruled out the biggliest invasion of Greenland the world has ever seen” when what he means is “we haven’t even discussed this to rule it out”.  And most of the media loves to directly quote it because it generates clicks.

I’m not saying he’s not an imbecill with idiotic ideas, but in 5 years time:

Will he have left NATO – no

Will everyone else be paying more into it (meaning buying US hardware) – yes

Will he invade Greenland – no

Will there be more mining and / or another military base – yes

Will he invade Panama – no

Will charges for US shipping be lower – yes

Will he Annex Canada – no

Will there be changes to their trading relationships – yes.

None of those are necessarily good things, but they’re his / the party’s policies. Discussions get had behind closed doors, then he comes out and treats journalists with contempt.

Trump is normalising the idea that powerful countries threatening other countries

Trump/the United States doesn’t have to threaten Greenland, they just have to offer them a deal which is better than the deal they are currently getting from Denmark.

Which isn’t necessarily something that can’t be achieved. With a population of about 58000 the United States could easily make them an offer that Denmark could never afford to match, even if they gave a couple of million dollars to each Greenlander.

Look at how the United States subsidizes nine and a half million Israelis so that they can live very comfortable lifestyles because it serves vital US interests.

And Greenlanders are far from hostile in their attitudes towards the United States:

A first-ever foreign policy opinion poll in Greenland shows support for more cooperation with US, Denmark

https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2024/11/us-spent-over-22-billion-on-israels-military-operations-in-past-year-watson-study-finds

The United States spent over $22 billion on military aid to Israel and related operations between Oct. 7 of last year and Sept. 30, 2024, according to a research article released by the Costs of War project at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. 

I make that almost a quarter of a million dollars per each Israeli per year. Imagine if that sort subsidy/support was cut back and redirected at Greenland.

With Middle East oil reducing in importance to the United States, and the growing influence of China, doing so might make sound (geo)political sense. And with Greenland’s population of 58k compared to Israel’s 9.5 million sound economic sense too.

And Greenlanders are far from hostile in their attitudes towards the United States

There is a strong desire for independence from Denmark amongst many Greenlanders, with talks of referenda etc.  They may welcome US investment and jobs etc. but I doubt they would willingly give up their hoped for status as an independent nation to get it.

Regulars on the Ukraine thread will be familiar with the musings of Danish military analyst Anders Puck Nielsen.  A voice of calm and measured strategic analysis in a sea of hyperbole and ill informed bluster.  Here’s his take on Trump’s Greenland ambitions. Spoiler, Denmark isn’t in any position to “sell” and Greenlanders don’t want to be part of the US.

Dementia Don has talked about hugely increasing the number of data centres in America. Now, I find it difficult to imagine Don’s tiny little brain coming up with this idea, however, he’s got three of the world’s richest tech bro’s metaphorically rimming and blowing the Don, so I can imagine them whispering into his delicate shell-like about how much they could show their appreciation for expanding their data processing, especially with the expansion in AI.

Now, one major problem with the huge data farms is the amount of energy they require, which leads to heat, which leads to cooling, which in turn needs power. One thing Greenland has is lots of ice, it’s also very good at producing low-carbon energy…

https://www.worlddata.info/america/greenland/energy-consumption.php

Am I missing something, but assuming the US and Canada merge (which I assume the majority of Canadians would be dubious about anyway), would the 13 Canadian provinces and territories not become states, and given most of these (except maybe the prairie provinces) are waaaay to the left of the US, wouldn’t this just hand the Dems a majority in the House and Senate?

Assuming the US and Canada merge

Would never happen, all the Canadians have to do is look at the US healthcare system, and go….nope!

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-health-care-system.html

Same for greenland:

https://www.norden.org/en/info-norden/right-healthcare-services-greenland

Trump/the United States doesn’t have to threaten Greenland, they just have to offer them a deal which is better than the deal they are currently getting from Denmark.

Which isn’t necessarily something that can’t be achieved. With a population of about 58000 the United States could easily make them an offer that Denmark could never afford to match, even if they gave a couple of million dollars to each Greenlander.

A million dollars in you back pocket isn’t so appealing if you know its all essentialy gone if you become inflicted with some sort of chronic illness

all, this Greenland nonsense is just a diversion inuit!
FTFY

Am I missing something, but assuming the US and Canada merge (which I assume the majority of Canadians would be dubious about anyway), would the 13 Canadian provinces and territories not become states, and given most of these (except maybe the prairie provinces) are waaaay to the left of the US, wouldn’t this just hand the Dems a majority in the House and Senate?

Before he disappears, Trudeau should just offer unconditional Canadian Citizenship to every Mexican, just to f++k with Trump… 😉

A million dollars in you back pocket isn’t so appealing if you know its all essentialy gone if you become inflicted with some sort of chronic illness

In fairness I don’t think you automatically become an obese, mentally challenged inbred as soon as you take up US nationality.  I believe it takes a few years of living there first.

He can have scotland if he gives me a few million. We have great golf courses..

There is a strong desire for independence from Denmark amongst many Greenlanders, with talks of referenda etc. They may welcome US investment and jobs etc. but I doubt they would willingly give up their hoped for status as an independent nation to get it.

Yup, my understanding is that there is easily a majority in favour of independence and the current Greenland Prime Minister is a strong supporter of independence. What I believe appears to be holding back the move to independence are the economic implications of doing so for Greenland.

I guess that a good deal/partnership with the United States might resolve that issue for Greenland. But no, as far as I am aware there is no desire to be absorbed into the United States. Although who knows if each Greenlander was bribed with a couple of million dollars each?

But whilst bribering  58k individuals might be doable there is no possibility of doing that to over 40 million Canadians. And apparently less than 15% of Canadians currently believe that being the 51st State would be a good idea.

So whilst having territorial desires over Greenland might not be totally ridiculous having them over Canada would clearly seem to be. I suspect that Trump’s comments concerning Canada were nothing more idle musings but the ones concerning Greenland were probably quite serious.

Putin must be fairly pleased that Trump is normalising the idea that powerful countries threatening other countries because they want their land or resources is just the way the world works.

I dont think we need Putin to tell us that. Thats pretty much how the world(big powers) have conducted themselves for millennia. British empire, German empire etc etc.