Huh? What strategic significance? Thule Air Base (now Pituffik Space Base) is mostly a radar station now. It once housed B-52 bombers for the Strategic Air Command, but those are long gone.
ICBMs are not meant to go East or West, they go over the pole. A nuke passing from Russia over the North Pole toward D.C. or NYC would be detectable from Greenland. This is why there’s a radar station there. The island would also be a good spot for a naval base from which one could send ships on patrol between Greenland and Iceland or even the UK. This is useful in attempts to maintain control of the North Atlantic as Russia and China have increased their activity in the arctic and North Atlantic. Personally, I find all of the hostility between nations stupid. War drains wealth while trade increases it. However, politicians and governments become institutionally stupid as they attempt to hold on to power and their duties in government make them see enemies in every foreign government.
> ICBMs are not meant to go East or West, they go over the pole
Yes and No.
Most effective trajectory to reach Russia from US (or vice versa) is really over Arctic region.
But in USSR created ICBMs with capabilities to reach US over Antarctic region, and even semi-orbital ICBM R-36 orb (it is large and expensive and not in production now, but Russia have all drawings so could design modern remake).
And Israel created space rockets, which launched to west (usually space rockets, launched to east), because unfriendly countries on east side could make wrong considerations if Israel launch to east.
So, as I said, yes, most effective trajectory via North pole region, but years ago produced rockets, which could hit US from any direction.
Naval strategic value is in total.flux since the arrival of Ukrainian anti ship drones.
Imo it makes all littoral / near shore naval assets a sitting duck. Deepwater is probably safe for about another five years.
Even stealth submarines may be fundamentally vulnerable to a flotilla of drone submarines and ai detection. I'll give them ten years.
I used to think Zeihans prediction of a collapse of global trade because of piracy and the US shrinking from global sea police was loony, but drone threats may be what really does it.
Denmark has been a a big Ally of the US, including a military alliance. These words used to mean something, right?
Denmark has played ball with the USA over the years, so if the US wanted to invest in Greenland or set up military facilities, surely a few meetings and agreements would do the work.
This sounds more like about legacy, sadly in a typical imperialist way.
If a US elected leader is willing to take their allies land by force out of greed, that will be the beginning of the end.
In fact, just the fact that this conversation is happening out in the open signals the beginning of the end.
European countries need their nuclear deterrence and they need it ASAP.
Greenland doesn't have "growing strategic significance", except insofar as Trump has imperialist designs on it and the geopolitical consequences that flow from that.
Control of the Northwest Passage, maybe?