The White House on Tuesday confirmed what President Donald Trump has been stating openly and unapologetically: acquiring Greenland is a top national security priority for the United States, with all options, including military force, remaining on the table.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, President Trump underscored the strategic urgency of Greenland’s location in the rapidly militarizing Arctic, warning that America’s adversaries are already exploiting the vacuum left by European inaction.
“I will say this about Greenland: We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security. It’s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump said. “Denmark is not going to be able to do it—I can tell you that.”
Trump ridiculed Denmark’s token security gestures, noting that Copenhagen recently attempted to “boost” Arctic defenses by adding one additional “dog sled.”
“They thought that was a great move. It’s true—they thought that was a great move,” Trump said.
Dog sledding in Denmark primarily refers to the elite Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a Royal Danish Navy unit that patrols remote Northeast Greenland.
“I’ll just say this: we need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and the European Union needs us to have it—and they know that.”