The Trump administration has threatened to use the US military to seize Greenland in an extraordinary new statement escalating tensions with NATO ally Denmark.
Donald Trump and his top advisers are exploring plans including purchasing the Danish territory or taking charge of its defense, a senior administration official said.
The White House added menacingly that ‘utilizing the US military is always an option’ and warned that the issue is ‘not going away’ despite the protests of NATO leaders.
The statement will dismay America’s NATO allies who have rallied around Denmark in recent days as Trump has renewed his threats to invade Greenland following the successful capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Trump has argued the US needs to control the island, which is more than three times the size of Texas, to ensure NATO security against rising threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: ‘President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region.
‘The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.’
Trump hinted on Sunday that a decision on Greenland may come ‘in about two months,’ once the situation in Venezuela has stabilized.
Hellbound and Down 