“America First” was the slogan that launched a movement, one that promised to strengthen the U.S. by focusing on our own people, our own economy and our own borders. Yet in the latest chapter of geopolitical theater, members of the Trump administration are chastising Denmark for how it manages Greenland — implying that America, somehow, could do it better.
Before we point fingers across the Atlantic, perhaps we should look a little closer to home, at how the U.S. has neglected its own island territories: Puerto Rico and Guam.
Greenland, with a population of 57,000, receives an annual block grant from Denmark totaling around $600 million. That figure represents more than half of Greenland’s public revenue and is the backbone of its government services. On top of this, Denmark provides defense, education, healthcare and infrastructure support. Greenland also enjoys broad autonomy under the Self-Government Act of 2009, with the authority to control its natural resources and determine its political future — including the right to full independence, should it choose that path.
Contrast that with Puerto Rico, home to more than 3 million American citizens who cannot vote for president and have no voting representation in Congress. Despite their patriotism and deep contributions to our national fabric — including high military service rates — those living in Puerto Rico do not have access to many the federal programs that are guaranteed for other U.S. citizens.
After Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, aid arrived slowly and was encumbered by bureaucratic red tape and political indifference. Infrastructure remains vulnerable, blackouts on the island are the norm and economic recovery has been uneven at best.
Guam is a strategic outpost in the Pacific and home to U.S. military bases, yet is often treated as an afterthought. Like Puerto Rico, Guam’s residents are U.S. citizens without full democratic rights. Federal funding doesn’t always match local needs, and the island faces systemic challenges around health care access, education and economic opportunity.
These disparities make the recent U.S. rhetoric on Greenland even more puzzling. Last month, Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland’s Pituffik Space Base and publicly criticized Denmark for failing to invest in the island’s security and development. Meanwhile, roughly 40 percent of Puerto Ricans on the island are living in poverty.
Vance’s comments, interpreted by many as a veiled pitch for U.S. control, triggered protests outside the American embassy in Copenhagen. Hundreds of demonstrators carried signs reading “Back off, USA,” accusing Washington of using economic pressure and political coercion to influence Greenland’s future.
Danish leaders have responded firmly. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen praised Greenlanders for standing strong in the face of foreign pressure and reiterated that Greenland is not for sale. Her message was clear: Denmark is committed to investing in the Arctic and respecting the autonomy of its constituent countries. These protests aren’t just about foreign policy — they reflect deep concerns about sovereignty, exploitation and the right to self-determination.
So it is worth asking: When American politicians criticize Denmark’s role in Greenland, what standard are they applying? Because by nearly every metric, Denmark’s relationship with Greenland offers more self-governance, more consistent investment and more respect for local autonomy than the U.S. offers its own territories.
None of this is to excuse past colonial legacies. Both the U.S. and Denmark have complex histories with their respective territories. But if we’re going to lecture allies on how they support distant lands, we must first examine our own commitments. And if the metric is fairness, funding and freedom, then we may not have the moral high ground we think we do.
While Greenland’s strategic importance in the Arctic — and its vast untapped natural wealth — are undeniable, it is through strong collaboration with our allies, as America has consistently done, that we most effectively advance our shared geopolitical objectives.
After all, what happened to “America First”? The rallying cry was supposed to be about strengthening the homeland, investing in our own infrastructure and protecting our citizens. Yet we see more energy directed toward strategic land grabs abroad than assuring that everyone in Puerto Rico has access to stable electricity or to guarantee full democratic rights for millions of Americans in our own territories.
True leadership means defending democracy and autonomy not only abroad but at home. If we want to build trust with our allies and claim the mantle of moral authority, we must first show that we can treat our own people with the dignity we demand of others. Otherwise, slogans like “America First” become hollow — and Greenlanders, Puerto Ricans and Guamanians alike are right to be skeptical of what’s truly motivating U.S. foreign policy.
Nathalie Rayes is a retired U.S. ambassador to Croatia whose family has lived in Denmark for the past four years. Frankie Miranda is president and CEO of Hispanic Federation.
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