Trump isn't the first: Since the 1960s, the U.S. has had a plan to dig 4,000 km of tunnels in Greenland – Defense Express.

During the Cold War, the United States had a plan to deploy 600 Iceman ballistic missiles in Greenland aimed at the USSR as a "second strike weapon." However, due to opposition from Denmark, this plan was not executed, as reported by Defense Express in an article discussing Greenland's significance for Americans.

Currently, the U.S. military operates the strategically important Thule Air Base in Greenland, which was established in 1952.

There are now 100 military personnel stationed there, although this number has decreased from earlier figures, as Denmark is opposed to a significant American military presence on its island.

Meanwhile, Russia maintains 50 military bases in the Arctic.

The Thule Air Base was constructed by the Americans as a forward outpost for missile defense against Moscow and for potential retaliatory strikes. Additionally, Thule has long been used as a platform for reconnaissance aircraft, including the famous SR-71 Blackbird, which could fly at speeds of up to 3700 km/h.

In the 1960s, the U.S. developed a project code-named Iceworm, which planned to dig 4,000 km of tunnels in Greenland to house the aforementioned 600 Iceman missiles.

At the same time, the Americans did not inform Denmark, under whose jurisdiction the island falls, about their intention to initiate this project; the Danes only learned about Iceworm in the 2000s.

Today, the U.S. uses Thule Air Base as a missile defense site, which includes the AN/FPS-120 radar for early detection of ballistic missile launches from Russia.

Overall, up to 600 people work at this base, including American military personnel and their families, civilian employees, and local residents.

During the Cold War, the U.S. deployed launchers for Nike Hercules interceptor missiles with nuclear warheads in Greenland.

In the 1960s, a secret research center named Century, which had a nuclear reactor, also operated in Greenland; the U.S. military left spent nuclear fuel at this site, and in 2017, the Pentagon publicly committed to removing this waste.

Once the local government of Greenland gained autonomy from Denmark in 1979, it immediately began efforts to reduce the U.S. military presence on its territory.

At the same time, Denmark has only 7 patrol ships with symbolic armament for the defense of this island, and it does not maintain a permanent contingent there.

It is worth noting that during a high-profile press conference on January 8, Trump stated that he did not rule out the possibility of seizing the Panama Canal and Greenland by force and would rename the Gulf of Mexico.