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The United States must have Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying it in the future, the president Donald Trump said Friday.
“We’re going to do something to Greenland whether they like it or not. Because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we won’t have Russia or China as neighbors,” Trump told reporters at the White House during his meeting with oil company executives.
“I would like to reach an agreement the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way, we will do it the hard way,” he added, appearing to allude to possible military action.
Trump said the United States must acquire Greenland, even though it already has a military presence on the island under a 1951 agreement, because such agreements are not enough to guarantee Greenland’s defense. The island of 57,000 inhabitants is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, but the treaty allows the United States to expand its military presence as it sees fit.
“You defend property. You don’t defend leases. And we’re going to have to defend Greenland. If we don’t do it, China or Russia will. That’s not going to happen,” Trump said.
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Trump and White House officials have discussed various plans to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including the potential use of the U.S. military and lump sum payments to the Greenlanders in an attempt to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters and lawmakers this week that buying Greenland was the main idea under consideration.
But Trump, when asked Friday how much money the United States would be willing to spend, said he was “not talking about money for Greenland yet,” although he said it could be raised in the future.
Leaders in Copenhagen and across Europe have reacted with disdain in recent days to comments from Trump and other White House officials asserting their right to Greenland. The United States and Denmark are NATO allies bound by a mutual defense agreement.
On Tuesday, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement, saying only Greenland and Denmark can decide on matters concerning their relations.
Foreign policy experts have said the United States would gain no additional national security benefits from a takeover of Greenland over the existing treaty and cooperation with NATO.
They warned that forcing Greenland away from Denmark could “permanently” break the Western military alliance.
Trump says he still supports NATO, but added Friday that “NATO needs to understand” his position on the Greenland acquisition.
Rubio is expected to meet with Danish officials next week to discuss Greenland.
Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, said he must own all of Greenland instead of simply expanding its presence under the existing treaty.
“I think property gives you something that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Property gives you things and elements that you can’t get by just signing a document,” Trump told the newspaper.
—With additional files from Global News and Associated Press
