Trump's 'Manifest Destiny' Rhetoric Recasts Arctic Geopolitics, Alarms Allies
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Moneycontrol•21-01-2026, 18:22
Trump's 'Manifest Destiny' Rhetoric Recasts Arctic Geopolitics, Alarms Allies
- •US President Donald Trump revived the 19th-century 'Manifest Destiny' doctrine in his January 2025 inauguration address, applying it to Greenland, Canada, and the Arctic.
- •The rhetoric has led to US officials shifting from Arctic cooperation to speaking in terms of ownership, alarming allies and raising questions about territorial integrity.
- •Trump declared, "We'll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%," after an uninvited US delegation visit was rejected, framing acquisition as inevitable rather than negotiable.
- •Canada also entered the conversation, with Trump previously calling the US-Canada boundary "artificial" and floating the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state.
- •The revival of this expansionist ideology has caused unusual intra-NATO tensions, with Denmark rejecting acquisition and European allies emphasizing sovereignty.
Why It Matters: Trump's 'Manifest Destiny' rhetoric is reshaping Arctic policy, causing geopolitical tensions and allied concerns.
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