In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s refusal to rule out military action to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, the Pentagon has categorically denied having any such plans.
What Happened: The Pentagon, on Wednesday, stated that it was “not aware” of any plans to invade Greenland, as reported by The Hill. This statement came after Trump declined to dismiss the possibility of using military force to acquire Denmark’s autonomous territory. Deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh, when questioned about potential contingency plans, responded, “I’m certainly not going to get into hypothetical situations.”
“We're concerned with the real national security concerns that confront this building every day,” said Singh.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Trump stated that the U.S. needed both Greenland and the Panama Canal for national and economic security. However, he did not provide any specific plans for acquiring either. “People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up, because we need it for national security,” Trump said, referring to Greenland.
During his first term, Trump had contemplated buying Greenland from Denmark, a proposal that was rejected by the Danish prime minister. The last attempt by the U.S. to purchase Greenland was in 1946, offering Denmark $100 million in gold, which was declined. The U.S. currently maintains a military base on the island, Pituffik Space Base, as part of mutual defense agreements with Denmark.
Why It Matters: The recent comments by President-elect Trump have rekindled interest in his previous plans to acquire Greenland.
His son, Donald Trump Jr., recently visited Greenland, sparking speculation about a renewed push for control over the mineral-rich island.
Furthermore, bettors on the federally authorized betting platform Kalshi predicted a 21% chance of Trump buying Greenland.
Photo Courtesy: The U.S. National Archives
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
