President Trump on Friday said the US will acquire Greenland “whether they like it or not” — because “if we don’t do it, China or Russia will.”
“If you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers, there are Chinese destroyers and there are Russian submarines all over the place,” he said. “We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that’s what they’re going to do if we don’t.”
“So we’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way,” he added, referring to obtaining it through purchase or military might.
Asked why he wants the US to own Greenland rather than merely expanding the current American military presence there, Trump said, “When we own it, we defend it.”
“You don’t defend leases the same way, you have to own it,” he added.
