President Donald Trump revealed his motivation for wanting America to purchase Greenland. He claimed NATO is not an effective deterrent to Russian and Chinese power and therefore America must secure the territory that makes them vulnerable with or without anyone else’s consent.
He stated, “Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent — Not even close! They know that, and so do I.”
NATO cannot effectively deter China and Russia unless the United States takes control of Greenland, and anything short of that is “unacceptable,” President Trump said Wednesday.
Trump aimed the warning at European leaders who are insisting that Denmark, a NATO member, must retain control of the strategically located island. He made the remarks in a post on Truth Social.
“Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent — Not even close!” Trump said. “They know that, and so do I.”
Trump has pressed for the annexation of Greenland for years, arguing the island is critical to U.S. and allied security.
Renewed attention to Greenland followed Trump’s dramatic move to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, part of what allies have dubbed his aggressive “Don-roe Doctrine” in the Western Hemisphere.