GreenlandThe prime minister said “we prefer Denmark” to the US, the night before this date Wednesday meeting among the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Trump administration officials.
“If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,” Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said at a press conference on Tuesday in Copenhagen. “We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU.”
Nielsen appeared with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said “there are many indications that the most challenging part is ahead of us,” according to AFP.
Vance, who visited Greenland last year, will be in charge of the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers – along with Rubio – at the White House, a source familiar with the arrangement confirmed to CBS News.
President Trump has repeatedly said he wants to get Greenland, an independent Danish territory, citing national security reasons.
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland, and I won’t let that happen,” Mr. Trump on Sunday.
“I would like to make a deal with them. It’s easy,” he added. “But one way or another, we will have Greenland.” Rubio has downplayed the possibility of military force acquiring Greenland.
But the leaders of Denmark and Greenland said Greenland was “not for sale,” prompting Trump officials to say the administration was. you consider all optionsincluding the military.
“One thing must be clear to everyone: Greenland does not want to be part of the United States. Greenland does not want to be ruled by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States,” said Nielsen on Tuesday.
Denmark has been one of the US’s staunchest NATO allies for more than 75 years. Frederiksen said that for the US there has been “absolutely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally.”
Senate Democrats and a few Republicans have voiced opposition to military action against Greenland. Democracy Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia he said on Sunday’s “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that any military action in Greenland would be “catastrophic.” He added that he believes “Congress will stop him, Democrats and Republicans.”
Republican Sen. Rand Paul told “CBS MorningsLast week he said that “he will do everything to stop any kind of military occupation of Greenland.” But Paul did not oppose buying Greenland, noting that the US had acquired the territory in the past.
The Constitution says only Congress can declare war, too The Senate last week advanced the war powers decision to limit the Trump administration’s ability to carry out further strikes on Venezuela. Five Republicans joined all Democrats in advancing the resolution, indicating a lack of support for any military action in Greenland. Democratic Sen. Reuben Gallego said last week he expects to introduce a measure “to stop Trump from attacking Greenland.”
A bipartisan group of House members introduced legislation Monday to ban military action against NATO members, according to Politico.
Rep. Don Bacon, one of the sponsors of the bill, said last week that he thinks any action in Greenland is wrong.
“These are our partners,” he continued. “You don’t treat your allies this way. I mean, it’s embarrassing. And of course, many Greenlanders want to be Greenlanders. They don’t want to be Americans. They want to be our allies, but, it’s causing a lot of anger and hurt to our friends in Europe.”
