President Trump and his allies are discussing several options for acquiring Greenland, including the use of military force, the White House confirmed Tuesday.
The White House confirmed that U.S. control over Greenland is essential for Western security, adding that it would not rule out using the military to take control of the Arctic nation.
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House wrote in a statement.
Since returning to the office last year, Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that Greenland’s strategic location and rich natural resources must be in Washington’s hands to ensure U.S. and NATO security.
In addition to military force, reports indicate that the White House is also considering a plan to purchase control of Greenland from Denmark. Citing anonymous individuals familiar with the conversation, The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers of a developing plan to buy the island during a briefing covering the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In a CNN interview on Monday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also refused to rule out the use of military force, but added that it may not be necessary because “nobody’s going to fight the United States over the future of Greenland.” He also said that the future control of Greenland would be decided through a conversation with the “community of nations.”
SEE ALSO: Europe reaffirms support for Greenland, Denmark as fears of U.S. takeover mount
Concerns over Greenland’s sovereignty were reignited this week after the arrest of Mr. Maduro in Caracas in the early hours of Jan. 3. A wide coalition of leaders from across Europe issued a joint statement Tuesday reaffirming their respect for Greenland and Denmark’s independence
“Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” said the statement, signed by leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the U.K. “NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European Allies are stepping up.”
The leaders of Greenland and Denmark issued their own statements this week, both decrying the expansionist goals of the Trump administration. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen argued that an attack on Greenland would mean the effective end of NATO.
Greenland, a former colony of Denmark, is not an independent member of NATO and has its foreign and defense policy run almost exclusively from Copenhagen.
The island nation has been a longtime ally of the U.S. and hosts the strategically necessary Pituffik Space Base, but the Trump administration’s rhetoric has deeply hurt relations. Greenland’s latest general elections were dominated by candidates who were loudly against U.S. domination.
Additionally, Denmark has made moves to boost its military presence in the region. Last year, Denmark announced a $2.3 billion military agreement with Greenland and the Faroe Islands to maintain “sovereignty in the region.” The agreement adds three new Arctic naval vessels, increased satellite capacity, and two long-range surveillance drones.
But the White House has refused to back down; the administration insists that Greenland is a crucial strategic asset. Located in the North Atlantic, it is essential for monitoring shipping traffic to and from Europe.
Furthermore, analysts anticipate that the melting of Arctic ice, a consequence of global warming, will open new shipping routes, which could in turn provide strategic advantages for both Russia and China.
The island also has rich deposits of rare earth minerals, which are essential elements in the construction of advanced technologies like smartphones, batteries and artificial intelligence chips. China has cornered the market on rare earth development, but the Trump administration has made developing a robust rare earth infrastructure key to its global security strategy.
• This article is based in part on wire-service reports.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.