Trump says U.S. will acquire Greenland ‘whether they like it or not’

The U.S. needs to own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying it in the future, President Donald Trump said on Friday.

“We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not. Because if we don’t do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland, and we’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbor,” Trump told reporters at the White House while meeting with oil company executives.

“I would like to make a deal the easy way, but if we don’t do it the easy way we’re going to do it the hard way,” he added, appearing to allude to potential military action.

Trump said the U.S. must acquire Greenland, even though it already has a military presence on the island under a 1951 agreement, because such deals are not enough to guarantee Greenland’s defense. The island of 57,000 people is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, but the treaty allows the U.S. to expand its military presence as it sees fit.

“You defend ownership. You don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland. If we don’t do it, China or Russia will. Not going to happen,” Trump said.

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Trump and White House officials have been discussing various plans to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including potential use of the U.S. military and lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the U.S.

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Tensions rise as Trump revives talk of Greenland annexation

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters and lawmakers this week that a purchase of Greenland was the top idea being considered.

But Trump, when asked Friday how much money the U.S. would be willing to spend, said he’s “not talking about money for Greenland yet,” though he said that could be raised in the future.

Leaders in Copenhagen and throughout Europe have reacted with disdain in recent days to comments by Trump and other White House officials asserting their right to Greenland. The U.S. and Denmark are NATO allies bound by a mutual defense agreement.

On Tuesday, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement, saying only Greenland and Denmark can decide matters regarding their relations.

Foreign policy experts have said the U.S. won’t gain any additional national security advantage through a takeover of Greenland compared to the existing treaty agreement and cooperation with NATO.

They have warned forcing Greenland away from Denmark could “permanently” rupture the western military alliance.

Trump says he still supports NATO but added Friday that “NATO has to understand” his position on acquiring Greenland.

Rubio is expected to meet next week with Danish officials to discuss Greenland.

Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, said he has to possess the entirety of Greenland instead of just expanding its presence under the existing treaty.

“I think that ownership gives you a thing that you can’t do with, you’re talking about a lease or a treaty. Ownership gives you things and elements that you can’t get from just signing a document,” Trump told the newspaper.

—With additional files from Global News and the Associated Press