US President Donald Trump has again said that the United States will try to acquire Greenland, an autonomous region of Denmark, and will do so “the easy way” or “the hard way.” He made the remarks on January 9 while meeting oil industry executives at the White House. Trump suggested that if Denmark does not agree to a deal, the US may take other steps to secure the island.
Trump’s main reason for wanting Greenland is national security. He warned that if the US does not act, Russia and China could try to expand their presence on the Arctic island. “We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland,” he said, adding that the US must act, “whether they like it or not.”
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and has a high level of self-rule. Denmark handles its foreign affairs and defense, while Greenland manages internal matters. The US already has a military presence in Greenland, including the Pituffik Space Base, under a 1951 defense agreement. But Trump argues that owning Greenland would better protect American interests as the Arctic becomes more strategically important.
Denmark and Greenland have rejected the idea of selling the island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that any military action would harm NATO and violate Denmark’s sovereignty. European leaders also stressed that Greenland’s autonomy must be respected.
Trump’s comments have caused concern among allies. Discussions between US and Danish officials are expected in the coming days to address the issue. Experts say that trying to take Greenland would be unprecedented in modern international relations and could have major political, economic, and strategic consequences.
The international community continues to watch closely. Questions remain about whether the US could legally acquire Greenland, and how such a move might affect global diplomacy. Meanwhile, Trump has made it clear that he considers Greenland too important to ignore and is determined to secure it for the US.
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