On Thursday, January 30th, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview that President Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland is “not a joke”. He emphasized that acquiring Greenland aligns with the interests of the United States.
Greenland is currently an autonomous territory of Denmark. Since winning the election on November 5th, President Trump has expressed his intention to buy Greenland.
During an interview on the “Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM radio, Pompeo mentioned that Trump desires to acquire Greenland and has not ruled out the possibility of using military force to do so, viewing it as a negotiating card.
“This is not a joke,” said Pompeo, “It’s not about purchasing land just for the sake of it. This is in the interest of our country and we need to address this issue.”
Regarding NATO’s commitment to Denmark, Pompeo stated, “We have a defense agreement with them (NATO), and if Greenland were to come under attack, we would protect it.”
“If we are already responsible for this, then we better have more control over what happens there,” he added.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called on European allies to oppose Trump’s acquisition of Greenland, reportedly having had a tense phone conversation with him.
In response, Pompeo mentioned that while he did not speak with Frederiksen, Trump is known for speaking frankly with others. “Ultimately, I believe that in many cases, diplomacy is more effective when you speak bluntly rather than using clichés and meaningless language,” he said.
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, has been seeking independence and stated that Greenland is not for sale, emphasizing that the people of Greenland should decide their own future.
Pompeo expressed during the interview that the Arctic will become a critical region for maritime routes, and the US needs the capability to defend this region. He warned of China’s potential efforts to expand influence in the Arctic.
Pompeo voiced concerns about China seeking Arctic passages and potentially making progress in Greenland through state-owned enterprises. “It is entirely plausible that the Chinese, eventually, and perhaps in the short term, will try to do in Greenland what they have done in the Panama Canal and elsewhere,” he said.
When asked whether the US would own Greenland within four years, Pompeo replied, “Obviously, this is the President’s top priority, and he has made that clear… We cannot discuss tactical actions at this time. What you can be assured of is that our interests in the Arctic will be more secure in four years.”