This interview was recorded prior to President Trump’s speech and meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, in which he stated that the United States would not use military force to pursue control of Greenland and announced that, following discussions with NATO partners, he would not move forward with previously threatened tariffs on NATO countries. Greenland—a vast, frozen island most Americans could barely place on a map—has suddenly found itself at the center of a rapidly intensifying global contest. In this episode, I’m joined by Heather A. Conley, an authority on Europe, NATO, and Arctic security, to discuss how Greenland became one of the most strategically important places on Earth. Heather explained to me how the island’s location made it indispensable during World War II and the Cold War—and why that same geography has become increasingly important as melting ice opens new shipping lanes and exposes vast mineral wealth. What was once a remote outpost is now a linchpin in the emerging competition between the United States, China, and Russia. When President Donald Trump began suggesting that the United States should “buy” Greenland, Heather argues, it revealed something serious about American strategic instincts, the fragility of allied relationships, and the way great powers think about territory. As the president continues to demand that Greenland become American, and European leaders coalesce in opposition, the question remains: What does Greenland’s future look like?