PRESIDENT Donald Trump has told Denmark he can take Greenland the easy way or the hard way.
The US president said he was “going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not” in a White House press conference on Friday evening.
Trump insisted that he needed the strategically important island or “Russia or China will take over Greenland”.
He said: “We’re not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour.
“I would like to make a deal, you know, the easy way.
“But if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way.”
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Trump has repeatedly made it clear that he wants Greenland for the US in recent days, saying he needs the Danish island “from the standpoint of national security”.
Speaking on January 9, he said: “I’m a fan of Denmark…but, you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the land.”
The threat comes despite warnings from Copenhagen that the US taking Greenland by force would spell the end of Nato.
It follows reports that Trump is considering sending $100,000 lump sums to Greenlanders.
US officials have reportedly discussed giving residents eye-watering payments of between $10,000 (£7,443) and $100,000 (£74,437) to try and woo islanders into independence.
It is just one of the solutions being mulled by Washington, who are “actively” discussing a potential offer to buy the semi-autonomous Danish territory, Reuters said.
Trump insisted that his first choice would be to purchase the island, but has made it clear that he wants the territory no matter what.
He has refused to rule out military action in the island, which is said to be very lightly defended.
Danish politicians are now scrambling for help, urging European counterparts to pledge military support.
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark have all rallied together to support the Danish autonomous territory.
A strong statement from the European leaders, led by Sir Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron, said: “Greenland belongs to its people.”
The leaders added: “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
Denmark would “shoot first and ask questions later” if the US invades Greenland – despite Trump promising he’ll “always be there for Nato”.
Yet experts say if Trump did try to invade the territory, his forces could take the capital Nuuk in “half an hour or less”.
An anonymous Danish politician admitted to Politico that the mineral rich island cannot defend itself, saying: “It could be like five helicopters … he wouldn’t need a lot of troops.
“There would be nothing they [Greenlanders] could do.”
Four ways Trump could take Greenland
by Harvey Geh
HERE are four ways Donald Trump could take over Greenland:
- Invasion: Trump would have little issue using the world’s strongest military to annex a poorly defended target such as Greenland. Denmark may even surrender before a fight takes place to avoid the risk of a full-blown Nato collapse. But any attack could still fall victim to a string of problems, including extreme weather conditions and long supply lines.
- Coercion: The threat of military intervention itself could be enough to force Copenhagen’s hand and pass over the crucial island. But aside from looming threats, Trump could purchase Greenland directly from the Danes. Previous US administrations have tried this at least three times in the past, with the first instance dating back to 1867.
- Free Association: Washington is reportedly already working on a plan to sign a “compact of free association” with Greenland. This deal would mirror current arrangements the US has with countries like Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. In these relationships, the US military have free rein in these territories in exchange for duty-free trade. But if such a deal were to take place, Greenland would have to cede from Denmark and gain independence first.
- Prolong the status quo: With Denmark and Trump both vying to have their own influence, Greenland could seek benefits from both without actually gaining independence or submitting to the US. If Washington settled for a bolstered military presence and mineral-mining contracts on the island, they could lay off further plans to annex it entirely.