Topline
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dodged questions from a Republican congressman Thursday about whether the U.S. has any military plans for taking over Greenland, as President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants the Danish territory to become part of the U.S.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appears before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on June 12, ... More
Hegseth refused to answer directly when asked twice by Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, during an Armed Services Committee hearing if the Pentagon has any plans for “invading or taking by force Greenland.”
“The Pentagon has plans for any number of contingencies,” Hegseth said.
Turner responded “I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony,” to which Hegseth replied “we look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats.”
The discussion about Greenland came up during the hearing about Hegseth’s controversial use of the Signal chat app to discuss top-secret military plans.
Turner told the defense secretary he wanted to “help” him “because people try to twist your words” after Hegseth repeatedly refused to directly answer Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., when asked if the Pentagon had plans for invading Greenland.
Denmark’s Parliament voted Wednesday to allow new U.S. military bases on Danish territory, prompting criticism that the move empowers Trump’s aspirations to take over Greenland.
Trump has floated the idea of buying Greenland for years, but has ramped up the frequency and seriousness of his musings during his second term, including suggesting the U.S. could use military force or economic penalties to force the acquisition. Officials in Greenland and Denmark have firmly rejected the idea. Greenland has become increasingly important on a geopolitical scale in recent years as melting ice in the Arctic Circle has opened new North Atlantic shipping lanes, drawing interest from U.S. rivals Russia and China.
Why Does Trump Want To Buy Greenland? What To Know As Danish Prime Minister Says It’s ‘Not For Sale’ (Forbes)
Trump Says US Should Take Ownership Of Greenland And Threatens Panama Canal Takeover (Forbes)