If Donald were to use his military to annex Greenland to the USA, it would trigger the EU's mutual defense clause. This means that every EU country would be obligated to provide military support to Denmark in its defense.
If Donald were to use his military to annex Greenland to the USA, it would trigger the EU's mutual defense clause. This means that every EU country would be obligated to provide military support to Denmark in its defense.
We know, but the US is in a classic Catch-22 (BTW, I think his talk is all bluster, and he's actually not going to do any of that).
If we annex it for reasons of national security, we piss off our friends in Europe and across the world (and if Europe thinks it can take us on in a war, good luck with that).
If we sit on our hands and HOPE that the current or future Prime Minister of Greenland doesn't allow his country to be roped in as part of China's 'Polar Silk Road' project, we could wake up to a Greenland dotted with Chinese military bases with nukes targeting Boston, New York, and Washington DC, and the entire east coast.
I'm glad I'm not the President, as that's a tough thing to deal with.
But If I were, I'd do everything possible to win hearts and minds with the people of Greenland, a coutry I love. Economic assistance, investment, I'd ensure that they could keep (and even expand) their generous healthcare and social welfare system. I would quadruple the amount of economic assistance they get from Denmark each year and pay each citizen $1 million dollars... With Greenland as a territory of the United States.
Failing that, and knowing that war with China is only a matter of time, and with our backs to the wall, I'd annex it in a heartbeat.