President Trump Says U.S. Needs Greenland for National Security, Not to Dominate Minerals

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump has insisted the United States needs Greenland for national security, not to control its minerals.

"We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals. We have so many locations for minerals and oil. We have more oil than any other country in the world. We need Greenland for national security," President Trump told reporters at his residence in Mar-a-Lago near West Palm Beach, Florida, launching TASS (23/12)

"And if you look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you'll see Russian and Chinese ships everywhere. We need it for national security. We have to have it," he said.

However, he criticized Denmark's role in the island's affairs. President Trump expressed his opinion, Copenhagen did not allocate the necessary funds for this purpose and did not provide "military protection" for Greenland.

"They said Denmark was there 300 years ago or more by boat. Well, we've also been there by boat, I'm sure. So we have to figure it all out," said President Trump, without elaborating.

Earlier, President Trump on Sunday announced the appointment of Louisiana State Governor Jeff Landry as the United States special envoy to Greenland, quoted from Anadolu.

"Landry acknowledged "how important Greenland is" to US national security and would "vigorously" advance the country's interests to ensure the safety and security of its allies and the wider world, President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Commenting on the appointment, the President clarified that the initiative did not come from him.

President Trump is known to have repeatedly stated that Greenland, an autonomous territory within Denmark, should join the United States. He previously described Greenland's ownership as an "absolute necessity" for US economic security, comparing the acquisition to a "big real estate deal."

However, both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory, with the Danish government asserting its continued sovereignty over the island.

The island's independence is a key issue in Greenland's parliamentary elections in March this year. Polls show a majority of Greenlanders want it, but they have not decided when and how the separation will happen.

A poll conducted in January showed only 6 percent of the population supports joining the United States.

In May, in an interview with NBC News, the US President did not rule out the use of force to resolve the Greenland issue. Although, earlier US Vice President J.D. Vance assured at the end of March, the US Government expects Greenland to gain independence and join the United States peacefully, with Washington not threatening to use military force.