America was built on the ‘art of the deal’

President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that the United States had reached a deal on the security of Greenland had many European leaders breathing a sigh of relief. The crisis over the strategic island had resulted in growing tensions between the U.S. and key allies. 

Trump’s declaration caught many by surprise. Yet, the U.S. wasn’t created purely by conquest and military force. Rather, America was built on what the current president might call the “art of the deal.” 

For more than two centuries, American policymakers and diplomats acquired territory through diplomatic agreements and land purchases. Indeed, most of the present United States and its territories were acquired through deals, not war. This overlooked fact upends the conventional narrative.

It has become customary for many on the progressive