Trump said Greenland’s strategic position makes it critical as Russian and Chinese vessels increasingly operate in the region, insisting the US “has to have it” for security reasons.
“We need Greenland for national security,” Trump told reporters on Monday. “You look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it,” he added.
His comments came after he named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy focused on Greenland, a move that sparked sharp criticism from Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the self-governing island.
Danish officials condemned the appointment as unacceptable and summoned the US ambassador in response.
While Trump has repeatedly highlighted Greenland’s military value and natural resources and has not ruled out annexation, Denmark has firmly rejected any suggestion of a takeover. The US has maintained a military presence on Greenland for decades, and Washington says it supports the right of Greenlanders to decide their own future, even as diplomatic tensions over the issue continue to rise.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
His comments came after he named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy focused on Greenland, a move that sparked sharp criticism from Denmark, which retains sovereignty over the self-governing island.
Danish officials condemned the appointment as unacceptable and summoned the US ambassador in response.
While Trump has repeatedly highlighted Greenland’s military value and natural resources and has not ruled out annexation, Denmark has firmly rejected any suggestion of a takeover. The US has maintained a military presence on Greenland for decades, and Washington says it supports the right of Greenlanders to decide their own future, even as diplomatic tensions over the issue continue to rise.
Daily Telegraph New Zealand (DTNZ) is an independent news website, first published in October 2021. - where this article was sourced.
3 comments:
If it is a threat to security, just grab it. That is what Putin did with Ukraine when they threatend security by courting Nato. Too bad if the China decides to grab us for security of timber.
Trump wouldn't think twice about selling his own mother if mineral rights were on the table. And that's a generous assessment since it assumes he is capable of coherant thought. But given his increasingly bizarre behavior we are entitled to ask who is actually pulling the strings here and who actually benefits from America becoming the laughing stock of the world.
Robert Arther succinctly sums it up. Indeed, what if China wants our pine logs in the name of national security? But the DTNZ article says, "Washington says it supports the right of Greenlanders to decide their own future". Well, Greenlanders have made their preference clear - they don't want to become Americans, all the more so with Trump as president, one would assume. In which case it's a non-starter.
Post a Comment
Thank you for joining the discussion. Breaking Views welcomes respectful contributions that enrich the debate. Please ensure your comments are not defamatory, derogatory or disruptive. We appreciate your cooperation.