Former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Carla Sands said Saturday that Greenlanders are primarily focused on prosperity, economic development, and security, arguing those priorities explain why the Trump administration views the Arctic territory as strategically vital.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Saturday Agenda," Sands said Greenland’s small population wants better-paying jobs, economic growth, and long-term protection in an increasingly contested Arctic region.
"Greenlanders do want good-paying jobs, and they want to develop their economy, their tourism, their mining," Sands said. "But above all, they want prosperity and they want security."
Sands said Greenland’s 56,000 residents are largely self-governing but lack control over defense and foreign policy, which remains under Denmark’s authority.
She argued Denmark has neither the military capacity nor the economic strength to defend or develop Greenland, leaving the island vulnerable to foreign adversaries.
According to Sands, President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland is rooted in preventing Russia or China from gaining a foothold in the Arctic, which she described as increasingly critical to U.S. and NATO security. She noted Russia’s expanding military presence in the region and China’s efforts to position itself as a "near-Arctic" power.
Sands also said Greenlanders have long expressed interest in greater independence and resented what she described as decades of neglect and mistreatment by Denmark.
She added that Greenlanders would likely welcome U.S. investment that supports economic growth and strengthens security.
"The Greenlanders want independence," Sands said, adding that they want control over their territory and future.
She argued that a stronger U.S. role in Greenland would benefit both American national security and the island’s residents, calling the Arctic "a key to the North Atlantic" at a time of rising geopolitical competition.
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