Trump discussing how to acquire Greenland, US military always an option, White House says
In the statement made by the White House, it was stated that Trump sees capturing Greenland as a national security priority of the United States to “deter our enemies in the Arctic region.”
“The President and his team are discussing a range of options to achieve this important foreign policy goal, and of course using the U.S. military is always an option available to the commander in chief,” the White House said.
Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States. Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind the Arctic region on Tuesday, saying it belongs to its people.
A US military seizure of Greenland from long-time ally Denmark would send shockwaves through the NATO alliance and deepen the rift between Trump and European leaders.
The strong opposition has not stopped Trump from considering how Greenland could be turned into a US hub in a region where Russian and Chinese interest is growing. Trump’s interest, first expressed during his first term in office in 2019, was reignited in recent days after the United States arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Emboldened by Maduro’s capture last weekend, Trump put pressure on both Colombia and Cuba, expressing his belief that “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.” He also started talking about Greenland again, which had been on the back burner for months.
A senior U.S. official discussing internal deliberations on condition of anonymity said Trump and his advisers were discussing various ways to seize Greenland.
IS Greenland FOR SALE?
Those options include a U.S. outright purchase of Greenland or establishing a Compact of Free Association with the region, the official said. The COFA agreement will not achieve Trump’s goal of making the island of 57,000 people part of the United States.
The official did not specify a potential purchase price.
“Diplomacy is always the president’s first option on everything and when making deals. He likes deals. So if a good deal can be reached to get Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct,” the official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that the administration’s latest threats to Greenland did not indicate an imminent invasion and that the goal was to buy the island from Denmark during a classified briefing for congressional leaders late Monday, two sources familiar with the briefing said.
Rubio’s comment was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Members of Congress, including some of Trump’s Republican friends, objected to the administration’s comments on Greenland, noting that NATO member Denmark is a staunch ally of the United States.
“When Denmark and Greenland make clear that Greenland is not for sale, the United States must honor its treaty obligations and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Senate NATO Observer Group co-chairs Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said in a statement. he said.
Administration officials say the island is vital to the United States because of its mineral deposits important for high technology and military applications. These resources remain unavailable due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure, and other challenges.
“This isn’t going anywhere,” the official said of the president’s effort to buy Greenland during his remaining three years in office.
