WSJ: White House says US seeks Greenland purchase, not invasion

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers during a closed-door briefing that recent administration rhetoric toward Greenland does not signal an imminent US invasion and that Washington’s objective remains purchasing the territory from Denmark, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.

Rubio’s remarks come amid increasingly aggressive public statements from the White House about securing control of Greenland. President Trump and senior officials have repeatedly declined to rule out the use of force, fueling concern among US allies and lawmakers.

“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal.”

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland during his initial term, but he has since intensified his push to bring the self-governing Danish territory under US control. NATO members have warned that a US attack on Greenland would effectively spell the end of the decades-old transatlantic alliance.

Rubio spoke during a classified briefing alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, focused primarily on the administration’s operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and plans for Venezuela’s future. Rubio led most of the discussion, the people said.

His comments followed a question from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) about whether the administration was considering military action elsewhere, including Mexico and Greenland. US and European officials say they have seen no signs of preparations for a Greenland invasion.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said the administration’s approach “is all about negotiations,” adding, “We need to have the legal control and the legal protections to justify building the place up and putting our people on the ground.”

Still, tensions remain high. Stephen Miller, a close Trump adviser, said, “Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.”

Trump reiterated his stance aboard Air Force One, saying, “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security,” citing concerns about Russia, China and access to critical minerals.

Denmark has countered by offering expanded US military basing and mining access while investing billions in Arctic defences. But Trump dismissed those efforts, saying Copenhagen was buying “one more dog sled.”

European anxiety has grown, prompting six leaders to issue a joint statement urging cooperation. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that if the US attacked Greenland, “everything would come to an end,” including NATO itself.

By Vafa Guliyeva