Opinion by Mathew Carr
Read the Truth Social post that announced the US-Denmark security deal on Greenland last night and it feels like the start of something wider.
The agreement is forever and at no cost? Really?
President Trump wishes this was the case, perhaps. See the full post in the two images below. The deal requires much more negotiating, lawmakers’ approval.
The post reads like a claim because it doesn’t flesh out each side’s contribution to the “agreement”.
I can imagine folks in Copenhagen might have felt their eyebrows go up when reading that the draft deal “gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,”
That sounds like a capitulation by Denmark, part of the EU, which I doubt has occurred.
Still… the US and the EU have been at loggerheads since the EU installed its carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) in May 2023, triggering global trade wars.
That effectively put a trade wall up around the EU for the rest of the world, unless the rest of the world lifts its game on climate action.
It has not worked that well so far.
I imagine Denmark will be extracting something from Trump on climate action as part of the Greenland deal, if it happens at all.
This could be the start of a multilateral grand bargain on security, climate change…possibly even AI regulation, banking and tax, as well.
It is unclear how multiplayer it will be.
(More to come)
Gemini context provided 4pm London time,
Including Denmark’s response.:
In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims on Truth Social regarding a deal giving Washington control over Greenland, Denmark and Greenland issued statements clarifying that sovereignty is strictly non-negotiable and will not be ceded.
Key Responses from Danish Leadership
- Reaffirmation of Sovereignty: Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenlandic officials emphasized that any security arrangement with Washington “will not compromise Greenland’s sovereignty” or territorial integrity, reiterating that Greenland is not for sale.
- Respect for “Red Lines”: Rasmussen noted that while the deal strengthens shared NATO security in the Arctic, it does so while “respecting the Kingdom’s red lines” and honoring the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.
- Focus on Arctic Security: The Danish government framed the upcoming agreement—expected to be finalized at the United Nations General Assembly—as a formal mechanism to defuse months of diplomatic tension. It expands U.S. military collaboration and restricts foreign adversaries from establishing bases, rather than transferring territorial ownership or governance to the U.S.
….
Rare earth grab:
Gemini, 23:00 London time
Tech titans benefit again
Beyond traditional mining corporations, several high-profile Western political figures, tech titans, and Wall Street investors are tied directly or indirectly to Greenland’s seven rare earth and critical mineral projects:
1. High-Profile Billionaires & Tech Leaders
- Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Sam Altman, & Richard Branson: Backers of KoBold Metals (via Breakthrough Energy Ventures and individual venture funding). KoBold uses AI mapping to search for critical minerals and rare earths across Greenland, establishing exploration joint ventures in regions overlapping strategic mineral deposits.
- Peter Thiel: The PayPal and Palantir co-founder invested in Praxis, a tech-charter city startup seeking to build advanced infrastructure hubs in Greenland aligned with the island’s emerging rare earth and mining economy.
2. Political Figures & Geopolitical Catalysts
- Donald Trump: Catalyzed high-level Western interest in Greenland’s rare earths during his presidency when he proposed purchasing Greenland from Denmark. The initiative was explicitly driven by White House advisors urging the U.S. to secure non-Chinese sources of heavy rare earth elements like those at Tanbreez and Kvanefjeld.
3. Wall Street & Private Equity Heavyweights
- Howard Marks (Oaktree Capital Management): Oaktree was the primary private equity force behind Toronto-listed Neo Performance Materials, which acquired the Sarfartoq Rare Earth Project from Hudson Resources. Neo is one of the few Western companies operating major rare earth separation facilities outside of China.
- Ray Dalio (Bridgewater Associates) & AQR Capital: Dalio’s hedge fund, alongside firms like AQR and Alyeska Investment Group, holds notable equity stakes in Critical Metals Corp (NASDAQ: CRML), the primary operator of the Tanbreez deposit.
4. Mining Figures & Prominent Entrepreneurs
- Tony Sage: High-profile Australian sports entrepreneur (former owner of the Perth Glory soccer club) and CEO of Critical Metals Corp, leading the push to bring the Tanbreez project into commercial production.
- Greg Barnes: The eccentric Australian geologist who discovered Tanbreez and owned it privately for decades through Rimbal Pty Ltd before selling majority ownership to Critical Metals Corp.
Difficult investment environment
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-09-19/us-greenland-deal-shifts-focus-to-investment-video
Bloomberg on big meetings globally.
This one could help ease warmongering and AI risks:
