President Donald J. Trump has stated that the United States is still looking to get control over Greenland, insisting that the U.S. needs territory for both national and international security interests. He added that he is willing to “go as far as we have to go.”
“We need Greenland. And the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark. Denmark has to have us have Greenland. And, you know, we’ll see what happens. But if we don’t have Greenland, we can’t have great international security,” President Trump said.
Vice President J.D. Vance, accompanied by his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, will visit the Pituffik military space base in Greenland’s northwest on Friday. The U.S. delegation initially had broader plans, including visiting Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, but these were scaled back.
Greenland, while autonomous, remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen deemed the decision to shorten the U.S. visit “wise.” Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede described the visit as “very aggressive American pressure.”
Throughout his presidency, Trump has suggested acquiring the territory through purchase or military means. In a recent speech to Congress, he reaffirmed his commitment to securing Greenland. The island’s Arctic and North Atlantic position is vital to U.S. national security interests. Additionally, large deposits of rare earth minerals under the island’s ice are of strategic economic interest.
Reacting to Trump’s latest statements, Prime Minister Egede reiterated Greenland’s independence. Egede has previously seemed more open to U.S. interest, stating in January that he was pleased Greenland was being listened to. Polls show that a majority of Greenlanders are interested in independence from Denmark.
.jpg){kind=link}
