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Episode details

Radio 4,08 Feb 2026,28 mins

Trump and Greenland: How MAGA went Arctic

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Why does President Trump really want to takeover Greenland? The Arctic territory is rich in vital minerals and oil, and it hosts an important American military base as the race for dominance in the wider Arctic heats up between China, Russia and the USA. While the issue has become suddenly urgent, it's a proposal that has been years in the making - and drill down beneath Trump's recent stated reason of 'security' and the reasons why he wants it as the 51st state are less clear. A financier-turned-MAGA operative, the small print of the right-wing wish list Project 2025, and a penchant for big places on maps might better explain the recent diplomatic crisis, as the Make America Great Again project evolves into an idea to Make America Bigger. The Coming Storm's Lucy Proctor delves into the backstory to Trump's insistence on acquiring Greenland. Produced and presented by Lucy Proctor Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Sound engineer: Andy Fell

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