Trump WH Confirms It’s Working to ‘Acquire Greenland’: ‘U.S. Military is Always An Option’

Alex Brandon/AP Photo
Patrick Pleul/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
President Donald Trump’s White House confirmed it wants to acquire Greenland and that military intervention has not been ruled out.
Following America’s apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Trump and his cabinet have hinted at taking action in several other countries and territories. Among them are a number of Latin American countries, including Mexico and Colombia. While on the topic of intervention, the administration has also reaffirmed its intention to make Greenland a U.S. territory. Toward the start of Trump’s term, he repeatedly insisted that Greenland — currently a Danish territory — possesses vital national security advantages.
Around the same time, Trump also floated the possibility of making Canada the 51st state. That idea, much like the idea of acquiring Greenland, was overwhelmingly rejected by those who live there.
When discussing Greenland in the past, the administration has insisted that military intervention wouldn’t be necessary. It hasn’t been taken off the table completely, though. In a statement sent to Reuters, the White House said:
President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.
Greenland is a territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally of the U.S. Denmark has repeatedly condemned Trump’s comments pushing to take Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen released a statement Sunday, saying, “I have to say this very directly to the United States: It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland.”
“The Kingdom of Denmark – and thus Greenland – is part of NATO and is therefore covered by the alliance’s security guarantee. We already have a defense agreement between the Kingdom and the United States today, which gives the United States wide access to Greenland,” Frederiksen continued, adding:
I would therefore strongly urge the United States to stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people who have said very clearly that they are not for sale.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also hit back at Trump over the weekend, calling his remarks “very rude and disrespectful.”
New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!
Comments
↓ Scroll down for comments ↓