Trump is considering “several options” regarding Greenland, including “using the military”

The White House spokeswoman announced on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump is considering “several options” to acquire Greenland, including “the use of the military,” which raises concerns in Europe about the fate of the autonomous Danish island located in the Arctic Circle.

“President Trump has made clear that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority for the United States and is vital to deterring our adversaries in the Arctic region,” Caroline Levitt said in a statement to AFP. She added: “The President and his team are studying several options to move forward towards achieving this important foreign policy goal, and of course the use of the American army remains an option for the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.”

The White House’s firm tone differs significantly from calls from Europe and Greenland for dialogue. On Tuesday, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt announced that Greenland and Denmark had requested an urgent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss Trump’s recent statements regarding his intention to annex the Arctic island.

Nok and Copenhagen in particular criticize Trump’s repeated argument about the need to act against the Chinese presence in Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løke Rasmussen said: “We do not agree with this idea that Greenland is full of Chinese investments.” He added, “We are watching over the Kingdom,” stressing that there is no need for “exaggeration.”

Denmark has invested heavily in polar security in the past 12 months, allocating about 90 billion kroner (1.2 billion euros) for this purpose. However, the US President mocked these expenses on Sunday, saying, “Do you know what Denmark did recently to enhance Greenland’s security? They added a dog sled.”

“The end of everything”

In this context, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio told American lawmakers that the best option, in Trump’s opinion, is to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding that the threats do not indicate an imminent invasion. On Tuesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he did not imagine that the United States would “violate Danish sovereignty.”

Likewise, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed on Wednesday that the Europeans are preparing to “respond” to all forms of intimidation by the United States.

Denmark is a member of NATO. From this standpoint, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any American attack on a NATO member would mean “the end of everything,” including the international security system that was established at the end of World War II. “This is not a conflict with the Kingdom of Denmark… but with all of Europe,” she told DR.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Frederiksen said in Paris, where they were participating in a conference on Ukraine, that “the future of Greenland and Denmark is decided solely by the people of Denmark and Greenland.”
Canada is also of interest to Trump, who said earlier this year that it should become the 51st US state.

France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement in which they expressed their support for Denmark in the face of Trump’s demands, and said, “It is up to Denmark and Greenland alone to make the decision regarding Denmark and Greenland.” She pointed out that Denmark is “part” of NATO like the United States, which in turn is linked to Denmark through a defense agreement.

Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly stressed that the territory is not for sale and that only it can decide its future.

Donald Trump has long expressed ambitions for the island, which has a population of 57,000 people, considering that it belongs to the natural sphere of influence of the United States.

The US President and those close to him re-highlighted this demand, following the military operation carried out by the United States in Venezuela, during which it arrested President Nicolas Maduro.