Trump discussing how to acquire Greenland, US military always an option

The White House said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is discussing options for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the U.S. military, in a revival of his ambition to control the strategic island despite European objections.
Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a U.S. national security priority necessary to "deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," the White House 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 U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal," the White House said.

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Trump and his advisers are discussing a variety of ways to acquire Greenland.

Those options include the outright U.S. purchase of Greenland or forming a Compact of Free Association with the territory, the official said.
"Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking. He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct," the official said.

Administration officials say the island is crucial to the U.S. due to its deposits of minerals important for high-tech and military applications. These resources remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and other challenges.
“It’s not going away,” the official said about the president's drive to acquire Greenland during his remaining three years in office.