Mike Waltz says need for Greenland is about being in the Arctic

President-elect Donald Trump’s fascination with Greenland is all “about the Arctic,” said his incoming national security adviser.

“This is not just about Greenland,” Mike Waltz, the Republican Florida congressman, said Wednesday on Fox News. “This is about the Arctic. You have Russia that is trying to become king of the Arctic.”

He added, “This is about critical minerals. This is about natural resources. This is about, as the polar ice caps pull back, the Chinese are now cranking out icebreakers and pushing up there as well. So, it’s oil and gas. It’s our national security.”

Mr. Trump has continuously brought up the need for America to acquire Greenland for national security purposes. His son, Donald Trump Jr., flew to the Danish territory this week for a private visit, heightening the seriousness of his father’s comments.

The president-elect said Wednesday at the Capitol that his son’s visit to Greenland was a “love fest.”

The day before, Mr. Trump said he wouldn’t rule out using military force to get Greenland. He said people question whether Denmark has “any legal right” to the island.

“But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security, that’s for the free world,” he said. “I’m talking about protecting the free world.”

He said there are Chinese and Russian ships “all over the place.”

“We’re not letting that happen,” he said. “And if Denmark wants to get to a conclusion – but nobody knows if they even have any right, title or interest. The people are probably going to vote for independence or to come into the United States, but if they did do that then I would tariff Denmark at a very high level.”

His comments have annoyed Danish and Greenlandic officials. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday that Greenland “has been very, very clear … that there is a lot of support among the people of Greenland that Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future either.”

Mr. Trump has talked about obtaining Greenland since his first term. It would give the U.S., which already has a large military base in the territory, a strategic Arctic foothold and an improved posture against Russia and China. 

Still, Mr. Trump doesn’t have any concrete plans on how he would actually obtain Greenland. The topic was first brought up when he announced his pick for U.S. ambassador to Denmark last month. He said that “for purposes of national security and freedom throughout the world … the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”