RANDY FORBES: America Can’t Opt Out Of Global Competition

When Donald Trump floated the idea of buying Greenland, much of Washington laughed. The proposal was treated as a punchline — another example, critics said, of crude transnationalism.

But as the former chair of the House China Caucus, I believe the laughter missed the point. Greenland was never about novelty or cartography. It was about power — and about how power is exercised in the 21st century.

Trump’s renewed push for U.S. access to mineral rights in Greenland matters for a simple reason: it’s a way to keep China from getting its hands on rare earth minerals. In a world where supply chains matter more than flags, Greenland counts because it is where geography, critical resources and great-power rivalry collide.

Rare earths are essential to advanced weapons systems, satellites, radar, robotics, electric motors and data infrastructure. China has subsidized production, undercut competitors and then weaponized its position — restricting exports during trade disputes and using access as leverage.

Greenland holds the eighth-largest known rare earth reserves in the world. One of its largest deposits, Kvanefjeld, has already attracted Chinese financial interest. Another major project, Tanbreez, nearly fell into China-linked hands before U.S. pressure reportedly helped steer it elsewhere