Ex-NATO chief doesn't think Trump's idea of annexing Greenland to the U.S. is crazy

Retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, former commander-in-chief of NATO forces in Europe, said Jan. 12 that he does not think U. S. President-elect Donald Trump's idea to annex Greenland is crazy.

"It's not a crazy idea. <...> We could do a lot in terms of business, investment, push the Russians out, push the Chinese out and work very closely with Greenland," The Hill newspaper quoted him as saying from a radio interview.

According to Stavridis, Greenland is a "strategic goldmine" for Washington because of its significant natural resources and important geographic location.

At the same time, the military officer believes that Greenland does not necessarily need to become the 51st American state, and interaction with it can be economic. The admiral added that it should be "caught up" with Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who said that the island is not for sale, but is open for business.

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The day before, Trump adviser Michael Waltz allowed the option of forcefully annexing Greenland. According to him, the US President-elect is considering all options to implement his plan for the future of the island.

Earlier, on January 10, Egede said that the US considers Greenland as a kind of backyard, where the defense of the entire continent will be carried out. He clarified that Greenlanders want to determine their own future, but will cooperate with the U.S. side.

In late December 2024, Trump called ownership and control of Greenland an "absolute necessity" for the US. He also said on Jan. 7, 2025, that Greenland should be part of the U.S. to provide protection against alleged Chinese and Russian threats.

The Republican expressed interest in buying Greenland from Denmark back in 2019 and was turned down.