Trump: "NATO Failed to Drive Out Russian Threat from Greenland... Now Is the Time"

Justifying the Legitimacy of Greenland Annexation
Treasury Secretary and Former Vice President Back the Annexation

On January 18 (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump stated, "The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has failed to drive out the Russian threat from Greenland over the past 20 years."

That night, President Trump posted on Truth Social, saying, "Now is the time," and declared, "We will accomplish this (driving out the Russian threat)!!!"

This post appears to be an attempt to justify the annexation of Greenland as tensions between the United States and the European Union (EU) over Greenland have escalated into a trade war. Previously, former and current officials from the Trump administration also asserted the legitimacy of annexing Greenland in interviews with broadcasters.

Earlier that morning, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in an interview with NBC, "We will not outsource the security of America and the Western Hemisphere to other countries." He added, "If Russia or any other country attacks Greenland, we will inevitably be drawn into that war," emphasizing, "It is better to achieve peace through strength by making Greenland a part of the United States now."

On the same day, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said in an interview with CNN, "The first person to propose the purchase of Greenland was the Secretary of State under former President Abraham Lincoln, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska." He continued, "The ongoing threats of Arctic incursions by China and Russia are real, so one of the measures the U.S. administration can take is simply to deploy forces in the region."

Currently, the conflict between President Trump and Europe over Greenland is intensifying. After President Trump reiterated his intention to annex Greenland, eight European countries sent small military contingents to Greenland on January 15.

In response, President Trump announced that a 10% tariff would be imposed on those countries starting February 1, and if no agreement is reached regarding the Greenland issue, a 25% tariff would be imposed from June 1. The EU is considering retaliatory tariffs worth 159 trillion won and countermeasures under the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI).