Using the military to take Greenland is “always an option” the White House says, amid mounting tension over Donald Trump’s plans for the territory.
The US president has been vocal about his desire to annex the self-governing island, despite it being part of Denmark – a NATO ally.
In recent days, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that US military action to seize the territory would spell the end of NATO.
And in a joint statement on Tuesday, European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron said they will “not stop defending” Greenland’s territorial integrity.
But a later statement from the White House showed no sign of toning down the rhetoric – and defended potentially taking a military approach, insisting it is “always an option” open to the president.
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Greenlanders don’t favour a US takeover, polls suggest
“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,” it 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.”
The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland have requested a meeting with US secretary of state Marco Rubio.
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Trump was in a good mood in a speech to Republicans on Tuesday. Pic: Reuters
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While Macron and Starmer held Ukraine peace talks in Paris. Pic: Reuters
Trump: We need Greenland
Fears that the US will act against Greenland have mounted following the arrest of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in an audacious American raid on Caracas.
Mr Trump has justified his actions on the international stage by citing the Monroe Doctrine – a US policy named after former president James Monroe, who asserted the right of his country to intervene in foreign affairs across the Americas in its own interest.
And with the door left open to further interventions in the western hemisphere, the president has reiterated his territorial ambitions for Greenland.
On Monday, he spoke to Sky’s US partner network NBC News about Greenland, saying that “we need it for national security, right now”.
There’s an uncomfortable truth behind Trump’s Greenland grab
The US president knows no European nation would seriously try to stop him by force because they would lose.
He is also probably gambling that Washington could get away with an Arctic land grab, as the rest of NATO needs the US more than he needs them.
Of course, diplomatic charm offensives or backroom deals may yet prevail, but the uncomfortable truth when it comes to Trump’s calculations is that he has a point.
Decades of overreliance by most NATO nations on American fighting power, weapons, and technology mean the ability of the transatlantic alliance to defend itself without the US (let alone counter a threat from Washington) has become dangerously compromised.
Read Deborah’s full analysis here.
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US threats ‘not going away’
With tensions mounting, Britain’s Sir Keir has thrown his weight behind Ms Fredriksen and Denmark, saying: “I stand with her. She’s right about the future of Greenland.”
But a senior US official told Reuters that opposition from other NATO leaders would not stop the push to bring Greenland under US control.
“It’s not going away,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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How could US take Greenland?
One option described was the outright purchase of the territory.
They said: “Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking.
“He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct.”
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NATO allies Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and France take part in military drills in Greenland, where the US has a military base. Pic: Reuters
Another option involved creating a Compact of Free Association (COFA) between the US and Greenland.
The US already has COFA deals with three Pacific Island nations, giving America military access in exchange for financial aid.
The official added that Mr Trump wants to acquire Greenland during his current term in office.