Washington’s past land purchases frame renewed interest in acquiring Greenland.

The United States has expanded its territory throughout its history through purchases and transfers that shaped its current map — and it now seeks to expand again with the acquisition of Greenland.

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U.S. President Donald Trump would be willing to buy Greenland, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who added that Trump’s advisers are preparing an updated plan to find a way to acquire the territory. Below are the main transactions carried out by the U.S. government over the past 200 years.

The Louisiana Purchase (1803)

In 1803, the United States acquired the vast Louisiana territory from France for US$15 million. The deal, promoted by President Thomas Jefferson and accepted by Napoleon Bonaparte, marked the beginning of a growth policy that defined the modern map of the United States.

The agreement allowed the country to double its size and consolidate its westward expansion. It incorporated nearly 1.3 million square kilometers, representing 23.3% of the nation’s current surface area.

Florida (1819)

Spain ceded eastern Florida to the United States under the Adams-Onis Treaty, signed in 1819 and ratified in 1821. It was not a direct cash purchase but rather a transfer by Spain in exchange for US$5 million to settle claims by U.S. citizens against Spain.

The Sabine and Arkansas rivers were chosen as the boundary between Spanish and U.S. possessions, a border that was completed with the area defined by the 42nd parallel.

Texas and the Mexican Cession (1845-1848)

Texas, which had declared independence from Mexico in 1836, was annexed by the U.S. in 1845. Three years after the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established the “Mexican Cession.”

Mexico handed over vast territories — now California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico — in exchange for US$15 million and the assumption of debts totaling US$3.2 million.

The Alaska Purchase (1867)

The Alaska Purchase was finalized on Oct. 18, 1867, when Russia sold the territory to the United States for US$7.2 million, equivalent to about US$4.73 per square kilometer. The deal was driven by Tsar Alexander II, who sought to prevent the British Empire from taking control of the region after the Crimean War.

The transaction, considered the first time Russia ceded a territory, was later seen as a strategic mistake, as Alaska proved to be rich in natural resources and of great geopolitical value. At the time, the purchase was criticized by the press and figures such as Karl Marx.

The Virgin Islands (1917)

In 1917, Denmark sold the Danish West Indies — now known as the U.S. Virgin Islands — to the United States for US$25 million in gold. The deal included the islands of St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, as well as smaller islands. The transaction was part of U.S. efforts to expand its influence in the Caribbean dating back to 1867.

Other acquired territories

In 1898, following the war with Spain, the United States obtained Puerto Rico and Guam under the Treaty of Paris and annexed Hawaii that same year. Although not all of these incorporations were direct purchases, they were part of the country’s territorial expansion process.

Claims over Greenland

Since the mid-19th century, the United States has shown interest in acquiring Greenland. As early as 1946, then-President Harry Truman offered US$100 million to Denmark for the island.

With Donald Trump’s rise to power in his first term (2017-2021), interest in acquiring the autonomous Danish territory was revived.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that “Greenland is not for sale,” a refusal that led Trump to cancel an official visit scheduled for September 2019, triggering a brief diplomatic crisis.

During his second term, the Republican renewed his ambition regarding Greenland. In December 2024, he declared that “ownership and control” of the island were an “absolute necessity” for U.S. national security.

In 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Trump “would be willing to buy Greenland” and that his advisers are preparing an updated plan to acquire the territory.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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