Using the military to take Greenland is “always an option” the White House says, amid mounting tension over Donald Trump’s plans for the territory.
The US president has been vocal about his desire to annex the self-governing island, despite it being part of Denmark – a NATO ally.
In recent days, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that US military action to seize the territory would spell the end of NATO.
But now a statement from the White House has defended a military approach, insisting that it is “always an option” open to the president.
The statement 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.”
Fears that the US will act against Greenland have mounted following the arrest of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in an audacious American raid on Caracas.
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Mr Trump has justified his actions on the international stage by citing the Monroe Doctrine – a US policy named after former president James Monroe, who asserted the right of his country to intervene in foreign affairs across the Americas in its own interest.
And with the door left open to further interventions in the western hemisphere, the president has reiterated his territorial ambitions for Greenland.
On Monday, he spoke to Sky’s US partner network NBC News about Greenland, saying that “we need it for national security, right now”.
With tensions mounting, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has joined other leaders from Europe and Canada in throwing his weight behind Ms Fredriksen and Denmark, saying “I stand with her. She’s right about the future of Greenland.”
But a senior US official told Reuters that opposition from other NATO leaders would not stop the push to bring Greenland under US control.
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“It’s not going away,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
One option described was the outright purchase of the territory.
They said: “Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking.
“He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct.”
Another option involved creating a Compact of Free Association (COFA) between the US and Greenland.
The US already has COFA deals with three Pacific Island nations, giving America military access in exchange for financial aid.
The official added that Mr Trump wants to acquire Greenland during his current term in office.
