The White House said Tuesday that President Donald Trump views acquiring Greenland as a national security priority and that the use of the U.S. military remains an option as his administration weighs how to pursue control of the Arctic territory.
‘President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to Fox News.
‘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 comments mark the clearest statement to date from the White House suggesting military force could be considered, as Trump renews pressure on Denmark over Greenland’s strategic role in U.S. defense and missile detection in the Arctic.
European leaders and Canada rallied behind Greenland on Tuesday following Trump’s renewed push to gain control of the Danish territory, according to Reuters. Leaders from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark said Greenland belongs to its people and that only Denmark and Greenland can decide the island’s future.
Arizona Democrat Sen. Ruben Gallego also announced Tuesday a bill to stop Trump from invading ‘another country on a whim’ over Greenland after Operation Absolute Resolve captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro over the weekend.
‘What’s happening in Venezuela shows us that we can’t just ignore Trump’s reckless threats. His dangerous behavior puts American lives and our global credibility at risk. I’m introducing this amendment to make it clear that Congress will not bankroll illegal, unnecessary military action, and to force Republicans to choose whether they’re going to finally stand up or keep enabling Trump’s chaos,’ Gallego said in a statement on the legislation.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who was named as Trump’s special envoy to Greenland last month, said in an interview with CNBC that ‘security should be a major concern for the United States.’
‘We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,’ Trump said during a press gaggle on Air Force One Monday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.