People laughed at the Donner Superman portrayal of Lex Luthor who is obsessed with real estate, but maybe the writers and director had the foresight to know where we were heading:

"He said, 'Son, stocks may rise and fall, utilities and transportation systems may collapse. People are no damn good, but they will always need land and they'll pay through the nose to get it!'" ~ Lex Luthor, Superman (1978) (who proceeded to launch two nukes to get his precious land)

"'You can print money, manufacture diamonds and people are a dime a dozen, but people will always need land.' It's the one thing we aren't making anymore." ~ Lex Luthor, Superman Returns (2006) (who then proceeded to create his own island that threatened the geophysical existence of the continental U.S.)

And now here we are, with a poorly drawn war Presichump (or chimp) wannabe who is a failed real estate mogul. Aside from the increased navigational access, critical minerals and continental defense, he wants to be there first to plant his business flag, because he knows rich people will need somewhere else to go when the other places are too hot, flooded, the local population is worked to death, inhospitable, etc. Until they build the Elysium, or get to Mars, they're stuck here with us.

That would be a legitimate argument if it really was about securing the arctic regions and not imperialistic megalomania.