Trump asserts US annexation of Greenland ‘will happen’ and suggests NATO could ‘get involved’
The U.S. has “quite a few soldiers” in the Arctic island and “maybe you’ll see more,” the president has stated. President Donald Trump has expressed to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte a desire for the U.S.-led military alliance to help Washington...
TroibNews 
The U.S. has “quite a few soldiers” in the Arctic island and “maybe you’ll see more,” the president has stated.
President Donald Trump has expressed to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte a desire for the U.S.-led military alliance to help Washington in “securing” Greenland during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday.
Trump first suggested buying the Danish autonomous territory in 2019, and he has revived the conversation after returning to the presidency. During a recent joint session of Congress, he emphasized that the U.S. will secure the island “one way or the other.”
When questioned by reporters on Thursday about his “vision on the potential annexation of Greenland,” Trump remarked, “I think it will happen.”
“I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security,” the president said, addressing the NATO chief. “We have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coasts, and we have to be careful. We’ll be talking to you.”
Rutte, while downplaying the proposal, humorously remarked, “when it comes to Greenland, joining or not joining the US, I would leave that outside… this discussion, because I do not want to drag NATO into that.” However, he acknowledged that Trump is “totally right” in emphasizing security concerns in the Arctic due to the increased presence of Russia and China, and he underscored the need for Western nations to work “together on this under the US leadership.”
Trump reiterated the U.S.’s need for Greenland for both national and international security, claiming, “I think that’s why NATO might have to get involved in a way.”
The president remarked, "Denmark is very far away. A boat landed there 200 years ago or something, and they say they have rights to it. I don't know if that's true. I don't think it is, actually… we really need it for national security… maybe you'll see more and more soldiers go…”
He also mentioned that the U.S. already has “a couple of bases” and hundreds of soldiers stationed in Greenland, implying that “maybe you’ll see more and more soldiers go there.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, Mute Egede, the outgoing prime minister of Greenland, criticized the U.S. president on Facebook for entertaining the idea of annexation, stating, “Enough is enough.”
Greenland has long been strategically significant due to its location and untapped mineral resources. It spans 2.2 million square kilometers and is home to around 60,000 residents, including a key U.S. military base at Thule.
Thomas Evans contributed to this article for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has expressed to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte a desire for the U.S.-led military alliance to help Washington in “securing” Greenland during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday.
Trump first suggested buying the Danish autonomous territory in 2019, and he has revived the conversation after returning to the presidency. During a recent joint session of Congress, he emphasized that the U.S. will secure the island “one way or the other.”
When questioned by reporters on Thursday about his “vision on the potential annexation of Greenland,” Trump remarked, “I think it will happen.”
“I didn’t give it much thought before, but I’m sitting with a man who could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security,” the president said, addressing the NATO chief. “We have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coasts, and we have to be careful. We’ll be talking to you.”
Rutte, while downplaying the proposal, humorously remarked, “when it comes to Greenland, joining or not joining the US, I would leave that outside… this discussion, because I do not want to drag NATO into that.” However, he acknowledged that Trump is “totally right” in emphasizing security concerns in the Arctic due to the increased presence of Russia and China, and he underscored the need for Western nations to work “together on this under the US leadership.”
Trump reiterated the U.S.’s need for Greenland for both national and international security, claiming, “I think that’s why NATO might have to get involved in a way.”
The president remarked, "Denmark is very far away. A boat landed there 200 years ago or something, and they say they have rights to it. I don't know if that's true. I don't think it is, actually… we really need it for national security… maybe you'll see more and more soldiers go…”
He also mentioned that the U.S. already has “a couple of bases” and hundreds of soldiers stationed in Greenland, implying that “maybe you’ll see more and more soldiers go there.”
In response to Trump’s remarks, Mute Egede, the outgoing prime minister of Greenland, criticized the U.S. president on Facebook for entertaining the idea of annexation, stating, “Enough is enough.”
Greenland has long been strategically significant due to its location and untapped mineral resources. It spans 2.2 million square kilometers and is home to around 60,000 residents, including a key U.S. military base at Thule.
Thomas Evans contributed to this article for TROIB News
