U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed the prospect of the European Union resisting his push to annex Greenland “too much,” shortly after Denmark sent additional troops to the Arctic island.
Speaking ahead of his trip to Davos for the World Economic Forum, Trump repeated his desire to take the self-governing Danish territory. The issue has ratcheted up trans-Atlantic tensions and rattled the NATO military alliance.
“I don’t think they are going to push back too much,” Trump told reporters in Florida on Monday evening, referring to EU opposition over Greenland. “Look, we have to have it,” he added.
The U.S. president, who has long coveted making Greenland a part of the U.S., reiterated his interest in the sparsely populated territory following an audacious military intervention in Venezuela on Jan. 3.
Trump has repeatedly said taking control of Greenland is vital for U.S. national security, frequently citing concerns about Russia and China’s Arctic influence.
