President Trump suggests American backing could significantly improve the lives of Greenland’s inhabitants.
President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his desire for the U.S. to acquire Greenland from Denmark, emphasizing the matter during a major speech on Tuesday.
Copenhagen has previously turned down the Trump administration’s offer to buy the island and refuted assertions that the local population supports such a change.
In his address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump stated that Greenland is essential to U.S. security, both domestically and internationally, and voiced strong support for the islanders’ right to self-determination.
“I believe we will acquire it. We will obtain it by any means necessary,” Trump stated. He pledged that the U.S. would provide Greenlanders with security and affluence, promising to improve their quality of life “to levels previously unimaginable.”
Greenland’s strategic location near the Arctic gives Denmark, a NATO member, rights to its natural resources under international law. The U.S. has maintained a military base on the island since World War II. While it is unlikely that the U.S. would use force to seize Greenland, Trump has not excluded that possibility.
In response to Trump’s approaches, Copenhagen has pledged more funds for economic growth and initiatives that promote Greenlandic identity within Denmark. European NATO allies have suggested sending a joint mission led by the military alliance.