Trump Hints at Military Options for Greenland
US President Donald Trump has re-ignited the Greenland issue after the White House stated that it would not rule out the use of military force to "acquire" the Arctic island. This statement immediately sparked tensions with Denmark, a fellow NATO member, as Greenland is under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Denmark.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump considers Greenland a US national security priority, particularly in countering hostile activity in the Arctic region. She emphasized that the administration is discussing various options to achieve that goal, and that the "military option" is always within the president's control as commander-in-chief.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly tried to allay concerns. He signaled that an invasion was not imminent, and that the preferred approach was more toward "buying" Greenland from Denmark. However, the combination of Leavitt's statement and Rubio's conversation has further chilled relations with Denmark and Greenland's leaders, as they strongly rejected the idea.
The Danish and Greenlandic governments have since moved swiftly. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said they had requested a meeting with Rubio to discuss the US's "strong statements" and clear up what they considered misunderstandings. In Europe, several leaders also issued a joint statement urging Trump to respect the territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland, while emphasizing that Greenland is part of NATO's collective defense umbrella.
Pressure intensified after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a US attack on Greenland could spell the end of NATO and undermine the security established since World War II. Other US officials, such as Stephen Miller, even called the world "ruled by force," prompting a firm Danish response that this was a red line and that Greenland had no intention of agreeing. (asd)
Source: Newsmaker.id
