Rubio tells lawmakers US aims to buy Greenland, downplays military role

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers Tuesday that President Donald Trump aims to buy Greenland from Denmark and is not planning an imminent military invasion, according to a media report.

Rubio made the remarks during a closed briefing, playing down the idea that the US could seize Greenland by force, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said the administration’s approach to Greenland “is all about negotiations,” adding that the US needs “legal control and legal protections” to justify building up the territory and putting Americans on the ground, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the White House said on Tuesday that the Trump administration was discussing a "range of options" for acquiring Greenland, including utilizing the US military.