Habits of a lifetime can be difficult to break. And for an unrestrained, obsessive-compulsive, avaricious, power-mad narcissist, there wouldn’t be any reason to bother trying, because their ingrained sense of entitlement would never allow them to consider that they might be less than perfect.

Take, for example, a person whose entire life has been spent acquiring things: childhood toys, then cars, houses, businesses, real estate, wives, unlimited amounts of money. It’s easy to understand how, in extreme cases, such an individual might lose the ability to accept the fact that there are limits to what is, or is not, acquirable.

And we are all well acquainted with one such individual, who has clearly lost sight of the fact that even he cannot have everything simply because he wants it.

It could be argued that he already has everything: enormous wealth, position and ultimate power — and that there is nothing left for him to aspire to. But to an acquisitionist (if there is such a word, and if there isn’t, there should be), there must always be something else. Even his name on the Kennedy Center, a $400 million ballroom, and a ridiculous new class of battleships named for him are apparently not enough to slake his thirst for more.

Because now he is going after entire countries. He has periodically set his sights on Panama, Canada and Greenland, but hasn’t taken concrete steps toward achieving those goals . . . until recently. And Greenland turns out to be his first target of choice.

Continuing to insist that the United States absolutely needs — and has some sort of divine right to — possession of their land, their resources, and their people, he reiterated, in conjunction with his announcement of the ludicrous battleship project, that:

“We need it for national protection. We need Greenland for national protection. They have a very small population and I don’t know, they say Denmark but Denmark has spent no money there with military protection. . . . They say Denmark was there 300 years ago with something with a boat but we were there with boats too, I’m sure.” [Alan Herrera, Comicsands.com, December 24, 2025.]

Okay, where do I begin? With the fact that the United States did not exist as a nation 300 years ago? Or is it too much to hope that Trump might, just once, get his history and his math straight?

Actually, yes, that sadly is too much to hope for. So let’s go directly to the 57,000 people of Greenland.

Greenlanders are citizens of Denmark and of the European Union. They don’t want to be part of the United States. Period. They have made that abundantly clear numerous times, including during the diplomatically disastrous visit of J.D. Vance in March of this year, when he was met by anti-US demonstrations.

And then there is something called a legal issue. Greenland, while mostly self-governing since 1979, remains an autonomous territory of Denmark, which has responsibility for the island’s defense and foreign policy. And Denmark isn’t selling.

So what does Trump do? He appoints a “special envoy” — Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry — to Greenland, causing Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, to summon the U.S. Ambassador to discuss the matter. And on December 22nd, Rasmussen issued a statement saying that Landry’s appointment clearly indicates that Trump is still trying to claim ownership of the island — which, of course, would include its vast natural resources — and adding:

“We insist that everyone including the U.S. must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.” [Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, December 22, 2025.]

To which Trump responded on social media:

“Jeff [Landry] understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World.” [Id.]

Not to mention those rare earth elements, numerous minerals, and reserves of oil and gas waiting to be tapped. Let’s not forget those.

But Greenland is not a commodity to be traded on any stock exchange. It is a country — around 836,000 square miles of land (about three times the size of Texas), some 57,000 human souls, and a proud history of its own. Trump may covet it, because it is indeed strategically located and rich with natural resources. But that doesn’t mean he has a right to grab it.

Recently-appointed head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission Thomas Dans — an investor, professed Russia expert, and MAGA political strategist — wrote about Landry on WhatsApp:

“Governor Landry and Louisianans supply an exceptional base of knowledge and experience across the global stage. Energy, infrastructure, tourism, shipping and trade are all priority areas for our future relationship with Greenland.” [Id.]

Well, that’s just great. But can’t all of those priority goals, as well as a military presence, be attained by means of trade agreements and treaties? Do we need to bully our way in?

Unfortunately, when the occupant of the Oval Office is a professional bully, this is what happens. And the US risks losing another close ally . . . and likely any hope of accomplishing our actual security goals in the area by friendly, diplomatic means.

As Foreign Minister Rasmussen said in a broadcast on Denmark’s TV2:

“I am deeply upset by this appointment of a special envoy. And I am particularly upset by his statements, which we find completely unacceptable.” [Billy Stockwell, Betul Tuncer, CNN, December 22, 2025.]

And Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, added that, while the territory was willing to cooperate with the US and other countries on the basis of mutual respect:

“The appointment of a special envoy does not change anything for us. We decide our own future. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected.” [James Landale and Rachel Hagan, BBC, December 22, 2025.]

And that should be the final word . . . but will it be?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
12/27/25