U.S. President Trump said that the U.S. needs Greenland to maintain its "national security" after appointing an envoy to the Arctic islands under Danish sovereignty.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has rekindled his long-standing interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark, pointing out its strategic location and mineral resources. He did not rule out the possibility of annexing the island.
"We need Greenland to ensure national security," Trump told reporters on Monday. "Look along the coast up and down, there are Russian and Chinese ships everywhere. We need it to maintain national security. We must have it."
Trump's remarks came after he appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as an envoy to Greenland, stating that he chose Landry because "he is a good negotiator."
At the time of the announcement, Trump praised Landry for understanding "the importance of Greenland to our national security."
Landry later wrote on X that it was an honor to "make Greenland part of the United States" as a volunteer, and stated that this would not affect his duties as governor.
"Suddenly, there appears a special representative of the U.S. president who himself claims to be responsible for taking over Greenland," said Danish Foreign Minister Rasmussen in an interview with TV 2, adding that this development was "completely unacceptable."
Greenland is a Danish autonomous territory with about 57,000 people, which has managed most internal affairs since 1979, while defense and foreign policy remain under Copenhagen's control.
The U.S. has maintained a military presence on the island since World War II. Vice President J.D. Vance visited the U.S. Space Force base on the northwest coast of Greenland in March, stating that Washington is unlikely to use force to seize the area, but remains open to Greenlanders exercising their right to self-determination and seceding from Denmark.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852303587679235/
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