Washington: US President Donald Trump believes that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, the White House said, a
Washington: US President Donald Trump believes that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, the White House said, a stance that has triggered sharp pushback from Democrats and bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill over the risks such rhetoric poses to NATO and global stability.
“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,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal,” she said.
The comments intensified criticism from lawmakers who warned that even discussing military action against Greenland — a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark — could undermine one of America’s closest alliances.
In a joint statement, Representatives Blake Moore of Utah and Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, co-chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Friends of Denmark Caucus, said “sabre-rattling about annexing Greenland is needlessly dangerous.”
“The Kingdom of Denmark is a NATO ally and one of America’s closest partners,” they said. “An attack on Greenland – a crucial part of that alliance – would tragically be an attack on NATO.”
The lawmakers stressed that Denmark has long cooperated closely with Washington on Arctic security.
