A retired US army general, known for advising Donald Trump on military matters, has shared insights into the president’s true intentions regarding Greenland amidst escalating tensions.
While the White House has hinted at exploring various options, including military actions, to acquire Greenland, retired US general Jack Keane believes that the public mention of using the US military was merely a strategic move to pressure the Danish government. Keane suggests that Trump has never seriously considered seizing Greenland by force.
Keane, speaking on The Times’s The General and the Journalist podcast, characterized the approach as a negotiation tactic aimed at ultimately securing a security arrangement between the United States and Greenland. He emphasized that the president’s goal is to reach a deal.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Denmark to discuss potential solutions, including a proposal to buy the 836,330-square-mile island, located approximately 2,000 miles off the American coast.
Despite reports indicating Trump’s determination to secure the resource-rich territory by any means necessary, even deploying US troops, Senior Republican senator Mitch McConnell criticized the aggressive negotiation style, calling it counterproductive.
Keane, a former US Army vice-chief of staff, revealed that he turned down offers to serve as Trump’s defense secretary but opted to provide informal advice on defense matters to the president regularly. He cautioned against the idea of invading Greenland, stressing that it would be unprecedented and illegal under current executive limitations.
While some commentators have pointed out Trump’s past unilateral military actions, such as in Venezuela, without congressional consultation, others, like Ben Shapiro, have argued that international law should give way to a more confrontational approach.
United States Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller emphasized the importance of strength and power in world affairs, suggesting that military action in Greenland might not face significant resistance.
As concerns mount over potential consequences on NATO alliances, with warnings from NATO leaders and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated that Greenland’s future should be determined solely by Denmark and Greenland.
Greenland, with around 57,000 inhabitants, has maintained autonomy since 1979, with defense and foreign affairs overseen by Copenhagen. The US Space Force operates the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, on the island’s northwest coast, hosting approximately 200 personnel.
