President Trump on Thursday expressed confidence the US would annex Greenland, even suggesting the pinnacle of the NATO alliance might be a key participant in facilitating the acquisition.
“I feel it can occur,” Trump informed reporters within the Oval Workplace throughout a gathering with NATO Secretary-Basic Mark Rutte.
“And I’m just thinking, I didn’t give it much thought before but I’m sitting with a man that could be very instrumental. You know, Mark, we need that for international security,” Trump mentioned, gesturing to Rutte.
Rutte agreed that Greenland and the Arctic Circle are important for safety causes, noting that China and Russia have a rising presence within the area. However he mentioned any dialogue about Trump’s makes an attempt to accumulate Greenland had been exterior of his purview.
“I don’t want to drag NATO in that,” Rutte mentioned.
The feedback got here two days after the center-right Demokraatit occasion received Greenland’s parliamentary elections. The occasion favors a sluggish path towards independence from Denmark.
Trump has for months pushed the thought of the US buying Greenland, which is a territory of fellow NATO member Denmark. The US has a army base on the island.
Previous to taking workplace, he declined to rule out potential army motion to annex the Arctic island. His son, Donald Trump Jr., and a handful of allies visited the island in January.