White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has outlined President Donald Trump’s ongoing interest in acquiring Greenland, emphasizing its role in bolstering U.S. national security against Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic region.
The remarks were made during a press briefing, where Leavitt highlighted that the idea of U.S. acquisition of the strategic island is not new and dates back to discussions by American presidents in the 1800s. This revival of Trump’s ambition follows recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, which Leavitt cited as an example of the president’s preference for diplomacy backed by the potential for military response.
“Well, that’s something that is currently being actively discussed by the President and his national security team,” Leavitt stated. “And I would point out that uh… the acquisition of Greenland by the United States is not a new idea. This is something that Presidents dating back to the 1800s have said is advantageous for America’s national security.”
She continued, “The president has been very open and clear with all of you, with the world. He views it in the best interest in the United States to deter Russian uh Chinese aggression in Arctic region. And so that’s why his team is currently talking about what a potential purchase would look like.”
Leavitt stressed that all possibilities remain open, noting, “All options are always on the table for President Trump as he examines what’s in the best interest of United States. But I will just say that uh the president first option always has been diplomacy. Again look at Venezuela. Uh he tried ardently to strike a good deal with Nicolas Maduro and he told him I will use the United States military. You will not like it if you don’t take such deal.”
The statement was shared in a Reuters post on X, which included a video clip from the briefing and linked to further details on the discussions, underscoring the White House’s position amid objections from European allies.
