Daily News Article - January 22, 2026
NOTE TO STUDENTS: Before answering the questions, read the “Background” and watch the videos under “Resources.”
1. How did President Trump explain the necessity of the U.S. to be able to control Greenland?
2. Following his speech to world leaders at Davos in which he called for immediate negotiations on Greenland, the president said he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland.” How did Trump explain the lack of details on the framework?
3. What two components will be included in the deal, according to President Trump?
4. Who will benefit from a deal with respect to Greenland, according to President Trump?
5. A poster on X noted:
Greenland has been opened to Chinese strategic influence since 2008, and aggressively since 2015, across mining, airports, infrastructure, 5G and telecom, research, and even satellite projects, although some were later blocked.
At the same time, Russia has massively expanded and modernized its military footprint across the Arctic.
It shows how vulnerable Greenland is to foreign strategic capture.
Put this together, and pretending Greenland is just a quiet Danish territory is fantasy. From a U.S. national security standpoint, it is reckless and dangerous to leave Greenland outside American control, and it must immediately be secured by the United States.
Denmark's population is around 6 million people and Greenland's population just 56,000. What do you think? Is Denmark able to protect Greenland from China and Russia? Explain your answer.