President Trump: ‘We need Greenland’ for national security
President Donald Trump insists Greenland is vital to U.S. national security amid pushback from officials and Nordic allies.
As President Donald Trump and administration officials renew their interest in annexing Greenland, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said in a statement on January 6 that “the use of the U.S. military is always an option.”
President Trump has repeatedly suggested buying the ice-covered Arctic island from Denmark and has refused to rule out seizing the resource-rich land by military force.
“President Trump has made it clear that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority for the United States and essential to deterring adversaries in the Arctic,” Levitt said in a statement obtained by USA TODAY. “The President and his team are discussing various options for pursuing this important foreign policy objective, and of course the use of the U.S. military is always an option at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief.”
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Denmark pushed back against the U.S. threat that emerged after the Trump administration’s detention of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
“Greenland belongs to the people. Denmark and Greenland, and they alone, decide matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the leaders said in a January 6 statement.
Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member state, with a population of approximately 57,000 people. President Trump has argued that annexing Greenland is necessary for national security, pointing to Greenland’s large amounts of important minerals and strategic location.
“We absolutely need Greenland. We need it for our defense,” President Trump said in an interview published on January 4, noting that the island is reportedly “surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller echoed similar sentiments in a Jan. 5 CNN interview, dodging a question about whether the U.S. would use military force in Greenland. “No one will fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller said.
The public belligerence comes after the Wall Street Journal reported on January 6, citing unnamed sources, that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers at a press conference on January 5 that the threat was “not an indication of an imminent invasion” and that the goal was to acquire territory.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen has repeatedly criticized President Trump’s interest in colonizing Greenland, saying in December that “the United States must not occupy Greenland.”
Greenland threat sparks domestic backlash
In response to the Trump administration’s threats, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Oversight Group under the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee, issued a bipartisan statement.
“Once 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,” the senators said.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska added in a statement on X that she remains “hopeful” that the administration’s threats are “nothing more than a sham.” “As we chart Greenland’s future, we must view Greenland as an ally rather than an asset, and focus on continued partnership rather than ownership,” Murkowski said.
Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego has introduced an amendment to the Senate defense appropriations bill that would halt funding for military forces in Greenland.
“What’s happening in Venezuela shows we can’t just ignore President Trump’s reckless threats. His dangerous actions are putting American lives and global credibility at risk,” Gallego said in a statement.
In the House, Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee called Trump’s comments “destabilizing and dangerous” and said they would “undermine” the NATO alliance.
“Americans voted for affordability at home, not threats to invade our closest friends abroad,” the committee’s minority said in a statement on X.
“The way we’re treating them is truly humiliating and there’s no good in it. It only angers our NATO allies and creates mistrust,” Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon said in a Jan. 6 CNN interview.
Contributors: Joey Garrison, Carissa Wadick, Kinsey Crowley – america today
