Trump doesn't rule out using military force to take Greenland

President-elect Donald Trump did not rule out using military force to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland during a press conference on Tuesday, saying American control of both is vital to the national security of the United States.
In a press conference just two weeks before taking office on January 20, Mr. Trump left open the possibility of using the US military to secure control of these two territories, VOA writes.
"I can't commit," he said, when asked if he would rule out using the military. "It may be that we will have to do something. The Panama Canal is vital to our country."
He then added that “we need Greenland for national security purposes.” Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, a traditional ally of the United States, and one of the founding states of NATO.
Mr. Trump also talked about the possibility of Canada joining the United States. He said that for such a thing he would not rely on military force, but on "economic force."
The eldest son of US President-elect Donald Trump is visiting Greenland on Tuesday as part of a private visit, fueling speculation that the new United States administration will aim to take control of the mineral-rich Danish territory.
Danish state broadcaster DTV reported that Donald Trump Jr.'s plane had arrived in Nuuk, the capital of the vast, icy territory of 57,000 people. Local media showed him walking down the snow-covered runway.
The Greenland government said in a statement that Mr. Trump Jr. is there on a “private visit” and not an official visit, and that Greenlandic representatives will not meet with him. Greenland is an autonomous territory that is part of Denmark.
Permanent Secretary at Greenland's Department of Foreign Affairs, Mininguaq Kleist, told the Associated Press news agency that authorities had been notified that Mr. Trump Jr. would be staying there for four or five hours.
Neither Mr. Trump Jr.'s delegation nor Greenlandic government officials requested a meeting, according to Mr. Kleist.
But despite this, the visit has a political overtone.
The Arctic territory is an area of strategic importance for the United States, China, Russia, and others.
The world's largest island, Greenland lies between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans, and 80 percent of its territory is covered in ice. It is home to a large US military base.
"I'm hearing that the people of Greenland are 'MAGA' (the initials for the slogan 'Make America Great Again'). My son, Don Jr. and various representatives will be going there to visit some of the most amazing parts," President-elect Trump wrote in a post on his social platform Monday night.
“Greenland is an amazing country and its people will benefit greatly if and when it becomes part of our country,” Mr. Trump wrote. “We will protect and preserve it from a dangerous world. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!”
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede has called for independence from Denmark, stressing in his New Year's address that independence would be a way to break free from its colonial past. But Prime Minister Egede also said he is not interested in Greenland becoming part of the United States, insisting that the island is not for sale.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that Greenland's future will be decided by Greenlanders and called the United States Denmark's most important ally.
Denmark's King Frederick X is reaffirming his country's rights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, a self-governing archipelago between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Last month, the king changed Denmark's coat of arms to include parts representing Greenland and the Faroe Islands. Greenland is represented by a silver bear with a red tongue. The royal proclamation noted that since 1194, the royal coat of arms "has symbolized the legitimacy and sovereignty of the state and the monarch."
"We are all united and each of us is committed to the Kingdom of Denmark .... all the way to Greenland," the king said in his New Year's speech.
During his first term, the US President-elect had mentioned purchasing Greenland, which gained the right to self-government from Denmark in 1979. Mr. Trump canceled a planned visit to Denmark in August 2019 after the Danish prime minister rejected the idea.
Mr. Trump revived the topic last month when he announced the appointment of the US ambassador to Denmark, writing: "For reasons of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America feels that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."
His eldest son, Don Jr., is an important figure in his father's political movement and is part of the president's transition team, which selects members of the next administration in the White House.