Trump Mentions Why US Wants to Seize Greenland from Denmark
- Donald Trump has repeated that the United States would secure Greenland and dismissed concerns about Nato fallout
- Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that the situation marked a critical moment for the western alliance
- Diplomats had prepared for high level meetings involving the United States, Denmark, and Greenland as lawmakers pushed for dialogue
President Donald Trump has renewed his claim that the United States will secure control of Greenland as he described the territory as a strategic necessity and dismissed concerns from allies about the impact on Nato unity.
He spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling from Florida to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Source: Getty Images
Trump said he was open to a negotiated arrangement but maintained that American control was inevitable.
“One way or the other, we are going to have Greenland.”
He argued that failure to act would invite rival powers into the Arctic. “If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will, and I’m not letting that happen,” he said, even though there has been no clear indication of such intentions from either country.
Trump reignites Greenland sovereignty debate
The president also made light of Greenland’s security capacity, claiming its defence amounts to “two dog sleds,” while warning that powerful naval forces from Russia and China operate in nearby waters. When asked about the consequences for the transatlantic alliance, Trump brushed aside potential fallout.
“If it affects Nato, it affects Nato. But you know, they need us much more than we need them.”
He added that he had pushed Nato members to increase defence spending and said he was involved in efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The remarks quickly drew attention across Europe, where officials have viewed the comments as a challenge to long standing alliance norms.
Source: Getty Images
Denmark warns of historic turning point
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen responded hours later with a strong cautionary message. She said Denmark had reached a “fateful moment” as a result of Washington’s posture toward Greenland and the broader alliance. “We are at a crossroads, and this is a fateful moment,” Frederiksen said.
She warned that threats against an ally could weaken Nato’s foundation saying:
“What is at stake is bigger than what the eye can see, because if what we experience from the Americans is that they are actually turning their backs on the western alliance, that they are turning their backs on our Nato cooperation by threatening an ally, which we have not experienced before, then everything will stop.”
Diplomatic activity is expected to intensify in the coming days. US secretary of state Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Danish and Greenlandic ministers in Washington on Wednesday. Separately, a group of US senators will travel to Copenhagen to engage members of the Danish parliament’s Greenland committee.
Committee chair Aaja Chemnitz welcomed the planned talks, calling them “good news” and saying it was important to use available diplomatic channels. She added that there were “lots” of incorrect claims about Greenland and said it was “absolutely crucial we get some truths on the table.”
China has also reacted to the renewed debate, urging Washington not to use other nations as justification for advancing its own interests in the Arctic and calling for respect for international norms. The unfolding exchanges are expected to test diplomatic ties and alliance cohesion in the weeks ahead.
Venezuela’s Maduro pleads not guilty
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nicolás Maduro made a dramatic first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday, January 5, to confront charges of drug peddling and weapons offences while insisting he remains Venezuela’s legitimate president.
He appeared in handcuffs, accompanied by his wife, Cilia Flores, and surrounded by heavily armed federal agents, drawing a packed crowd of journalists and members of the public.
Source: Legit.ng
