Scott Bessent defends Trump Greenland bid because of Europe ‘weakness’
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US should protect Greenland because Europe had shown “weakness” in defending the president’s renewed calls to buy the country.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Kristen Welker asked Bessent whether President Donald Trump was serious in his effort to seize Danish territory or whether his words were being used as leverage in negotiations with other European countries.
Bessent told Welker that presidents have considered buying Greenland “for over a century,” and that Trump is focused on threats from countries like Russia in the Arctic region.
FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT: WHILE TARIFFS INCREASE RISKS, TRUMP HAS NOT ‘shown his hand’ to Greenland yet
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized European leaders for projecting “weakness” in the face of threats in the Arctic. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
“[D]Bessent said that if he protects the road, this fight for the North Pole is real. “We maintain our NATO guarantees. And if there was an attack on Greenland from Russia, from another region, we would be dragged in too.”
He added, “Better now, peace through strength, make it part of the United States and there will be no conflict because the United States is the hottest country in the world right now. We are the strongest country in the world. The Europeans reflect weakness. The United States reflects strength.”
“But very quickly, is this a negotiating tactic, Mr. Minister?” said Welker. “For example, is the goal to reach an agreement to improve security in Greenland?”
DENMARK FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS TRUMP IS CONSIDERED ABOUT CHINA AND RUSSIA’S THREAT TO GREENLAND
“The President believes that it is not possible to increase security without Greenland becoming part of the United States,” Bessent replied.
President Donald Trump renewed calls to buy or annex Greenland over the weekend. (Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump also said that Greenland is vital to US national security due to its vast mineral resources.
On Saturday, Trump announced that he would impose new tariffs on several European countries if an agreement is not reached on the purchase of the island by the United States.
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Protests led by Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen broke out against Trump’s proposal the same day, with protesters reportedly shouting that Greenland was “not for sale”.
People wave Greenlandic flags during a mass demonstration opposing President Donald Trump’s offer to buy Greenland on January 17, 2026 in Nuuk, Greenland. (Celal Güneş/Anadolu via Getty Images; Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images)
Greenland is a semi-autonomous region of Denmark with a population of approximately 57,000.
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Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
