Treasury Secretary Claims Trump Wants To Annex Greenland To Prevent Getting ‘Dragged’ Into ‘Attack’ From Russia

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that President Donald Trump wants to annex Greenland in order to keep the U.S. from getting “dragged” into an “attack” on the territory from Russia.

During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Kristen Welker questioned Bessent over why Trump is still seeking to seize Greenland despite the fact that the “leaders of Denmark and Greenland [have said] bluntly, ‘Greenland is not for sale.’”

Welker asked the question after noting that the right-wing leader alluded on Friday that he may punish countries with tariffs if they don’t back the U.S. controlling Greenland.

“Kristen, if we look for years, for over a century, American presidents have wanted to acquire Greenland,” he responded. “And what we can see is that Greenland is essential to the U.S. national security. We’re building the golden dome, the missile system.”

Claiming that Trump is “being strategic” and is “looking beyond next year to what could happen for a battle in the Arctic,” he continued, “We are not going to outsource our national security. We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to other countries.”

Bessent added, “In Trump 1.0, President Trump told the Europeans, ‘Do not build Nord Stream 2. Do not rely on Russian oil.’ And guess what, Kristen? Guess what is funding Russia’s efforts against Ukraine? European purchases of Russian oil. So America has to be in control there.”

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of annexing Greenland, claiming the U.S. needs to acquire the territory for national security reasons. The president has not ruled out using military force to obtain it despite pushback from European leaders.

Welker went on to press Bessent over whether Trump is “serious” about annexing Greenland and whether his actions have been a part of a “negotiating tactic.”

“President Trump strongly believes that we cannot outsource our security,” he replied, before adding that “down the road, this fight for the Arctic is real.”

“We would keep our NATO guarantees. And if there were an attack on Greenland from Russia, from some other area, we would get dragged in,” he continued. “So better now, peace through strength, make it part of the United States, and there will not be a conflict because the United States right now, we are the hottest country in the world.”

Bessent added: “We are the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness. U.S. projects strength.”

Welker didn’t let up, urging Bessent to confirm whether Trump has been using a “negotiating tactic.”

“Is the goal to get a deal to have enhanced security in Greenland, for example?,” she asked.

“The president believes that enhanced security is not possible without Greenland being part of the U.S,” he replied.

Elsewhere in the interview, Welker questioned the White House official over why it’s “necessary [for the U.S.] to take over and annex all of Greenland” despite the fact that “85% of people living in Greenland oppose” the potential move.

“The United States has a base in Greenland. I’ve been talking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Denmark has given the United States a green light to beef up its security as much as is needed in Greenland. Why not take that route?,” she asked the treasury secretary.

“Well, again let’s look back. Denmark has a terrible history with Greenlanders,” he responded. “There were forced sterilizations up until the ’80s or the ’90s. So all of a sudden, now that the U.S. has expressed an interest, there is, you know, this new interest.”

Claiming that the “United States needs to be in control to prevent a war,” he added, “And we do not want to get dragged into someone else’s war.”

Welker later brought up that “Senior Democrats say there are no pressing threats on Greenland’s security from Russia or China,” before asking, Bessent what “evidence” the Trump administration has that there is a “pressing threat.”

She also noted “the Danish foreign minister says there hasn’t been a Chinese warship in Greenland for a decade.”

“Well, first of all, Kristen, we have asymmetric information. And again, President Trump is being strategic here. What evidence was there that the Russians were going into Crimea? Well, actually there was a lot of evidence that the Russians were going to go into Ukraine,” he responded.

Bessent then pivoted to placing the blame on the Biden administration, adding, “And Joe Biden said, ‘Well, just take a little bit of it.’ But what we know is that Greenland can only be defended if it is part of the U.S.”

“And it will not need to be defended if it is part of the U.S. The president is trying to avoid a conflict,” he added.

Wrapping up their discussion on Greenland, Welker asked “if the United States were to take Greenland by force, how would that be different than Russia’s annexation of Crimea?”

“Look, I believe that Europeans will understand that this is best for Greenland, best for Europe, and best for the United States,” he responded.

Watch Bessent’s “Meet the Press” interview below.