President Donald Trump seemed intent on dodging a question during his return flight from Mar-a-Lago — a brief pause that looked like restraint. It didn’t last. What followed was a rapid shift in tone, as a familiar fixation resurfaced and the moment began slipping out of his control.
When a reporter asked him a question about his intentions for Greenland, the semi-autonomous island nation, he at first played coy pretending as if he didn’t want to talk about it, but when Trump’s cronies started cackling over the question, he couldn’t help himself and took the bait.
That’s when his plan slipped out with Trump insisting the United States needs Greenland due to “national security” issues and that he plans to reveal more details in “about two months.”
Then he quickly backtracked and said he’d talk more about it in “20 days,” but even then he couldn’t help himself.
“I will say this about Greenland. We need Greenland from a national security situation. It’s so strategic,” he insisted, before making a claim that just can’t be verified, which may have been the intention.
“Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he declared.
“We need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you, to boost up security in Greenland,” Trump contended, then tried to make a joke.
“They added one more dog sled. It’s true,” he said as his lackeys, including Sen. Lindsey Graham and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, laughed again.
The reporter jumped back in, “What would the justification be for a claim to Greenland?”
“I just say this, we need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and the European Union needs us to have it,” he shockingly asserted.
View on Threads
This Threads user couldn’t understand why the Trumpsters on the plane found questions about the President’s underhanded plans for Greenland so funny.
“Why are they laughing like that?” they asked. “Because they’re vile, disgusting pieces of shit,” responded another.
Another commented on the cackling, too. “Nothing like a rich white mans taunting laugh.”
Other social media user were just plain angry about Trump’s insanity surrounding Greenland.
“Take that pea brain demented donny and drop him out of airplane with a parachute bag, FULL OF RAGS,” Threads user Timbear100 stated.
“He is out of control and needs to be removed immediately,” another proclaimed.
“Are you kidding? Someone tell him he can’t just run around taking countries. He has caused a huge problem for us,” wrote another.
“Greenland as part of Denmark is a founding member of NATO … Does Trump understand the consequences of his words or actions?” another wondered.
Some speculate the real reason why Trump wants Greenland is because of their minerals.
View on Threads
It didn’t take long for Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to correct the brash-talking Trump, reiterating Greenland is “not for sale.”
“The United States has no legal basis to annex one of the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark — and thus Greenland — is a member of NATO and is therefore covered by the Alliance’s collective security guarantee,” Frederiksen warned in a video statement.
“I therefore strongly urge the United States to stop its threats against a historic, close ally, and against another country and people who have made it very clear that they are not for sale,” she added forcefully.
View on Threads
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, which the U.S. is a part of, would be forced to respond if Trump took military action against Greenland.
Tensions have been flaring between Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. as Trump continues to threaten to annex the mineral rich Greenland. Just last month he announced he appointed a special envoy to Greenland and stated again that “Russian and Chinese ships are all over the place.”
After those comments, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen said Greenland is a “key priority” for the block and noted that “territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.”
“We stand in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland,” she said at the time.
It doesn’t sound like the EU is willing to give up Greenland in response to Trump’s threats. The real question is whether Trump is actually willing to use military force against a longtime key ally to invade a sovereign territory.
