US experts say buying Greenland won't fix Arctic strategy gaps

Experts say US President Donald Trump's repeated plans to acquire Greenland would not resolve America's strategic challenges in the Arctic, where the main issue is underinvestment in existing infrastructure and military presence. Washington has neglected capabilities in Alaska for decades while climate change and great-power competition transform the region. Russia has consolidated its Arctic military presence over nearly 20 years, reopening Cold War bases and investing in permanent infrastructure, while the US has closed most of its roughly 300 Alaskan installations. Only Eareckson Air Station and a Coast Guard unit remain in the Aleutian chain, with limited patrol assets. Analysts note Washington already has extensive military access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark, and argue long-term success requires sustained infrastructure investment, climate adaptation, and cooperation with indigenous communities rather than territorial acquisition.