White House says Trump weighing options, including military, to acquire Greenland

New Delhi, Jan 7: US President Donald Trump has been discussing a “range of options” to acquire Greenland, including the possible use of military force, the White House has told the BBC, describing the Arctic island as a US “national security priority”. In a statement, the White House said the president and his team were examining multiple pathways to pursue the objective, adding that “utilising the US military is always an option at the Commander-in-Chief’s disposal”. Greenland is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, a fellow NATO ally. The remarks came hours after several European leaders issued a joint statement backing Denmark and stressing that Greenland’s future could only be decided by Denmark and Greenland, in line with international law and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the US “needs” Greenland for security reasons, prompting Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to warn that any US attack would undermine NATO. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed European support and called for “respectful dialogue”. According to the BBC, US officials have discussed options ranging from outright purchase to closer political association, though senior figures, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have said there are no plans to invade the territory. Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, already hosts a US military base, but opinion polls show strong opposition among Greenlanders to becoming part of the United States.