Trump Suggests He Might Take Greenland by ‘Force’ in Wild Exchange With Kristen Welker: ‘We Need Greenland Very Badly’

President Donald Trump refused to rule out using military force to acquire Greenland during an interview Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, telling anchor Kristen Welker, “We need that very badly.”

The exchange took place during a wide-ranging interview on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy.

Welker asked Trump directly, “You and I talked, and I asked you if you would rule out military force to take Greenland. And you said, no, you don’t rule out anything.”

Trump shared his thoughts on Greenland and Canada, which he has talked about becoming the 51st state for months:

WELKER: Would you rule out military force to take Canada?

TRUMP: Well, I think we’re not going to ever get to that point. It could happen. Something could happen with Greenland. I’ll be honest, we need that for national and international security.

WELKER: But not with Canada?

TRUMP: It’s highly unlikely. I don’t see it with Canada. I just don’t see it, I have to be honest with you.

WELKER: Okay, but you don’t rule it out for Greenland?

“I don’t rule it out,” Trump said. “I don’t say I’m going to do it, but I don’t rule out anything. No, not there. We need Greenland very badly. Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security.”

Leaders and citizens in Greenland have expressed no desire to join the US.

Trump also complained about the US trade relationship with Canada during the interview.

“We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200 billion a year,” he said. “We don’t need their cars. In fact, we don’t want their cars. We don’t need their energy. We don’t even want their energy. We have more than they do. We don’t want their lumber. We have great lumber.”

Watch above via NBC News.