Trump did not instruct Pentagon to prepare Greenland operation plan, NYT reports
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has spoken about the possibility of taking control of Greenland, but the Pentagon has not received any order to plan such a military operation, The New York Times reports.
US officials said that while the Pentagon plans different military operations, it was never asked to do so with regard to Greenland.
At the same time, military analysts believe that taking control of Greenland would not be a difficult task. The island’s population is only about 56,000 people, and it already hosts a US military base (there were 17 bases during World War II).
The outlet notes that Pentagon officials and senior commanders are frustrated and outraged that Trump has allowed for the possibility of using force to seize Greenland. Denmark, the report emphasizes, is a reliable NATO ally whose troops have fought and died alongside US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
As a result, an attack on Greenland would be an attack on a NATO ally, posing a threat to the entire Alliance. According to both current and former senior US officials, such a scenario could destroy the transatlantic alliance.
The US and Greenland
Recently, US President Donald Trump said that control over Greenland is an "absolute necessity" for US national security. He claimed that the island is surrounded by Russian and Chinese fleets, and that Denmark, in his view, is unable to provide adequate protection.
There were also reports that the United States could pay up to $700 billion to purchase Greenland. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been tasked with preparing an offer.
On Saturday, January 17, Trump stated that starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland would face a 10% tariff on all goods supplied to the US, with the rate set to rise to 25% starting June 1.
On Monday, January 19, the European Council announced it would convene an emergency meeting on transatlantic relations after Trump’s statements about Greenland.
In addition, Greenland’s Prime Minister stated that a military conflict between Greenland and the United States is unlikely, although it cannot be completely ruled out.
