Treasury Secretary Says Trump Wants to Annex Greenland to Avoid Being Drawn into Russian Attack

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that President Donald Trump wants to annex Greenland to prevent the United States from being “dragged” into an “attack” on the territory by Russia.

During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Kristen Welker questioned Bessent about why Trump is still seeking to seize Greenland even though the “leaders of Denmark and Greenland [have said] bluntly: ‘Greenland is not for sale.’”

Welker asked the question after noting that the right-wing leader alluded Friday that he could punish countries with tariffs if they do not support the United States, which controls Greenland.

“Kristen, if you look for years, for over a century, American presidents have wanted to acquire Greenland,” he responded. “And what we can see is that Greenland is essential to the national security of the United States. We are building the golden dome, the missile system.”

Claiming that Trump is “being strategic” and is “looking beyond next year to what could happen in a battle in the Arctic,” he continued: “We are not going to outsource our national security. We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to other countries.”

Bessent added: “In Trump 1.0, President Trump told the Europeans, ‘Don’t build Nord Stream 2. Don’t trust Russian oil.’ And guess what, Kristen? Guess what finances Russia’s efforts against Ukraine? European purchases of Russian oil. So the United States has to be in control there.”

Trump has repeatedly raised the idea of ​​annexing Greenland, stating that the United States needs to acquire the territory for reasons of national security. The president has not ruled out using military force to obtain it despite the rejection of European leaders.

Welker continued to press Bessent about whether Trump is “serious” about annexing Greenland and whether his actions have been part of a “negotiation tactic.”

“President Trump firmly believes that we cannot outsource our security,” he responded, before adding that “in the future, this fight for the Arctic will be real.”

“We would maintain our NATO guarantees. And if there was an attack on Greenland from Russia, from some other area, they would drag us in,” he continued. “So it’s better now, peace through strength, let it be part of the United States, and there will be no conflict because the United States right now we are the hottest country in the world.”

Bessent added: “We are the strongest country in the world. The Europeans project weakness. The United States projects strength.”

Fake Images/YouTube.

Welker did not give up and urged Bessent to confirm whether Trump has been using a “negotiation tactic.”

“Is the goal of reaching an agreement to improve security in Greenland, for example?” he asked.

“The president believes that greater security is not possible without Greenland being part of the United States,” he responded.

Elsewhere in the interview, Welker asked the White House official why it is “necessary [for the U.S.] take control and annex all of Greenland” despite the fact that “85% of the people living in Greenland oppose” the possible measure.

“The United States has a base in Greenland. I have been talking to legislators on Capitol Hill. Denmark has given the green light to the United States to strengthen its security as much as necessary in Greenland. Why not take that route?” he asked the Treasury secretary.

“Well, let’s look back again. Denmark has a terrible history with the Greenlanders,” he replied. “There were forced sterilizations until the ’80s or ’90s. Then suddenly, now that the United States has expressed interest, there is this new interest.”

Stating that “America needs to be in control to avoid war,” he added, “and we don’t want to be dragged into someone else’s war.”

Welker later mentioned that “senior Democrats say there are no pressing threats to Greenland’s security from Russia or China,” before asking Bessent what “evidence” the Trump administration has that a “pressing threat” exists.

He also noted that “the Danish Foreign Minister says there has not been a Chinese warship in Greenland for a decade.”

“Well, first of all, Kristen, we have asymmetric information. And again, President Trump is being strategic here. What evidence was there that the Russians were going to Crimea? Well, there was actually a lot of evidence that the Russians were going to go to Ukraine,” he responded.

Bessent then went on to shift the blame to the Biden administration, adding: “And Joe Biden said, ‘Well, it just takes a little bit.’ But what we know is that Greenland can only defend itself if it’s part of the United States.”

“And it will not be necessary to defend it if it is part of the United States. The president is trying to avoid a conflict,” he added.

Concluding his discussion of Greenland, Welker asked, “if the United States were to take Greenland by force, how would that be different from Russia’s annexation of Crimea?”

“Look, I think the Europeans will understand that this is what is best for Greenland, what is best for Europe and what is best for the United States,” he responded.

Watch Bessent’s interview on “Meet the Press” below.

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