During a conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump again announced that he would “have Greenland one way or another,” encouraging the Greenlanders to accept the offer of joining the United States.
Trump: Greenland's defense is two dogs in sled
When asked what would happen if NATO ceased to exist as a result of the annexation of the island, Trump replied that “he is the one who saved NATO” by forcing member states to increase their military spending. The president downplayed the importance of the Alliance for the US.
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What did Donald Trump say about Greenland?
How does Trump assess the importance of NATO?
What does Trump think about defending Greenland?
What other solutions did Trump reject for Greenland?
— You know what their (Greenland's) defense is, two dogs (in harness). Meanwhile, there are Russian destroyers and submarines everywhere, as well as Chinese destroyers and submarines. We won't allow this. And if it affects NATO, it affects NATO. But you know, they need us much more than we need them, Trump said.
— I like NATO. I just wonder if we needed NATO, would they be there for us? “I'm not sure they would be,” he added.
As on Friday, the US president speculated that if the US did not take control of the island, Russia or China would take it over. He rejected other solutions, such as increasing the presence of US troops or the mission of other NATO countries to Greenland proposed by Germany.
“We have a lot of soldiers there, but we need more. We need ownership. We really need the land title, as they say in the real estate world, he added.
