Trump’s fascination with Greenland is not a new idea. For more than a thousand years, colonial aspirations have shaped the island’s history. The Norse, Danes, Nazis, and Americans came to Greenland chasing territory and natural resources, and for military domination of the Arctic.

The rest instead called it “not realistic.” A majority said it was a “bad idea.” That’s a far cry from Trump’s posture; he recently called taking Greenland an “absol