Theoretically and juridically speaking, can the US sell Alaska back to Russia?

25 comments

1. Nope. Alaska can block their own sale back to Russia.

2. Why would we ever do something like that.

3. No its a state so 10th amendment applys

   Territories like Puerto Rico are fair game though

4. I doubt it, it is a state now.

   Besides trading off territory like monopoly cards comes of the day when Kings were landowners and subjects tenants. It is just not done.

   But we got a lot of our land that way though some purchases were “unrefuseable offers”. Others make war, thou happy America purchase, what Mars gives to others, Pluto gives to thee. Sort of.

5. Practically? No.

   Even if it were technically possible, it would require the approval of Congress and a president. The Federal government doesn’t own states, and so the state would need to agree. In the example you raise of Alaska being sold to Russia, that would involve secession which is currently unconstitutional. And we are bound by international treaties that relate to Alaska, including some arctic and defensive treaties.

   But most significantly, Russia couldn’t afford it. Alaska would be valued at hundreds of billions or even trillions.

6. You guys remember that episode of Cory in the House where Cory accidentally gave Alaska back to Russia? And to win it back, he had to beat the Russian President at something like Dance, Dance, Revolution?

7. No, the feds can sell territories, but not a state. The only thing they can do in that domain is to admit a territory as a state. States can change their borders but cannot be destroyed or otherwise made to cease to exist. The federal government can’t destroy the polity of Alaska.

8. Theoretically?

   … Maybe. But it would require a lot of things perfectly aligning.

   Like Alaska agreeing to be turned back into a territory and the 49 other states consenting to it.

   Practically? Hell no.

   And why would the US ever want to give Russia back Alaska? The Native Alaskans and Canada would almost assuredly fight tooth and nail to stop it from occurring.

9. The better question is whether Alaska can theoretically purchase Russia? And the way things are going, it’s a definite maybe!

10. No. It is a state. Theoretically Alaska could ask to leave, then the states could vote to OK it… but that won’t happen.

11. No. And why would we?

12. Russia could never afford it.

13. Hypothetically, I don’t think we could regardless.

    Some Russian politicians want to take back Alaska [as detailed here.](https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a40547937/russian-politicians-want-to-take-back-alaska/) I wish them luck given how awful their military has handled the invasion of their close neighbor.

14. Never

15. No – I can’t imagine a way you could do that legally without a Constitutional amendment, even if Alaska wanted it.

16. Is this a distraction tactic against Russia? “Hey, we may sell you back Alaska, so you can execute your dream of owning the Artic and possibly invading Canada. Maybe stop attacking Ukraine for a while so we can talk about it?”

17. Im not sure Canada would appreciate having Russia share a border with it. Being next door neighbors to Russia doesn’t seem to go well. If the scenario the US sells Alaska it would make more sense and be better for diplomatic relations to sell it to Canada.

18. As far as I know, there’s no constitutional method for a state to leave the US, whether to become independent or to join another country. So it’s unclear how such a thing would be done, legally speaking.

19. Russia is one of our biggest enemies. Would never and could never happen

20. All sales are final.

    But seriously, states can’t become ex-states. We had a little… kerfuffle… a little while back addressing that issue.

21. Not really.

22. With enough constitutional amendments destroying states’ rights, anything is possible. You’d need to set up a way for a state to be unilaterally expelled without its consent and probably do away with the 10th amendment too.

    But from a practical standpoint, no. You’re simply not going to get 2/3 of the state legislatures to agree that their state can be unilaterally expelled or that they should lose the right to self governance, even if such an amendment could somehow be plowed through congress with a 2/3 majority.

23. Since Alaska is now a state, and the Constitution does not give any mechanism by which a state can stop being a member of the United States, I see no theoretical way this could happen.

24. Russia will have to pry it from America’s cold, radioactive, dead fingers!!

    But practically, no, the union isn’t breaking up unless the US collapses and even then, that’s not exactly what the people living in Alaska want

25. The United States is just that, collectively 50 independent states. So no the US can not just sell Alaska, or any other state for that matter.