The U.S. has tried to buy Greenland before. Here’s how those past attempts went.
From the Reconstruction era to the Cold War, multiple administrations have tried (and failed) to acquire the Arctic island. Here’s why Greenland has always remained out of reach—and why it always mattered so much.
For over a century, Greenland’s strategic location and natural resources have made it a target of U.S. ambitions, peaking during the Cold War—but the island’s leaders have consistently resisted these overtures. From land purchase attempts to military base negotiations, here’s why Greenland remains one of the world’s most coveted islands.
The U.S.’s fascination with the world’s largest non-continental island dates to the late 19th century, when Secretary of State William Seward, fresh from purchasing Alaska from Russia for $7.2 billion in 1867, began eyeing Greenland and Iceland as potential American territories.
An 1868 report commissioned by Seward—who also coveted Canada—pointed to Greenland’s vast fisheries, animal life, and “mineral wealth.” An acquisition of Greenland might also compel Canada (located between Alaska and Greenland) to become part of the U.S., the report said.
