Donald Trump says US could pull troops from Europe as he slams Nato over Greenland dispute
Trump's assertions that the US must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, sparked tensions between Washington and Copenhagen
Donald Trump has suggested America could pull all its troops out of Europe as he again berated Nato allies over their opposition to his ambition to annex Greenland arguing it should be “controlled by the United States”.
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Trump's assertions that the US must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, sparked tensions between Washington and Copenhagen - both founding NATO members - and more broadly across Europe.
The issue has since moved to a diplomatic track.
"That should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark," Trump told reporters during a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Trump said the issue of control over Greenland had harmed US ties with NATO.
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"That's what hurt my relationship with NATO, because Greenland doesn't help Denmark. Denmark doesn't spend money to really help Greenland, but it's an important part for the United States, and it's surrounded by China ships and Russian ships, and that's not going to happen," he said.
"They wouldn't go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia."
He argued that the Arctic island “should be controlled by the United States”.
Mr Trump added: “And when they wouldn’t go along with it, and with all the money we spend to help them with Russia, and we don’t have to spend any money, we could remove all of our soldiers out of Europe, because, as you probably noticed, Europe’s a very different place than it was 20 years ago, lot different, much different, much different, and they better be careful with immigration and energy.
“If they’re not careful with those two things, you’re not going to have a Europe anymore.”
The renewed claims by Trump come after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress in June that Greenland is part of Denmark "for now".
Mr Rubio was asked by Sarah McBride, from the House of Representatives' foreign affairs committee, whether he was "aware that Greenland is indeed part of Denmark" during questioning over President Donald Trump's remarks that the US should take control of Greenland.
In January, the White House said Trump was considering how to acquire Greenland, including a potential use of the US military, setting off alarm bells among NATO allies in Europe, although talks have since been moved to a diplomatic track.
Trump has described Greenland, an island of 57,000 people, as strategically vital for countering Russia and China in the Arctic.
The US currently has one active military base there, down from around 17 facilities in 1945. Mr Rubio was also asked whether the US "needs to own land within NATO to defend it".
He told Ms McBride: "We are actually involved in conversations with Greenland and Denmark on the use of Greenland for collective defence for all of us. It's a key part of missile defence, but we're involved in those talks right now.
"I think we're in a good place on it now.
"I think we'll have pretty good news at some point."
Greenland's government has said that progress had been made in the high-stakes talks over the future of the territory amid US threats of annexation, adding that the giant island belongs to its people and will never be for sale.
The US opening of a larger diplomatic hub in Greenland at the end of May was met by demonstrators opposed to President Trump's ambition for greater influence in the Arctic island, while local government ministers shied away from the event.
Moving from a wooden cabin on the outskirts of Nuuk to a much larger downtown office, the new United States consulate has become a focal point for Greenlanders unhappy with Trump's stated desire to control the island.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and a series of other politicians said that they had declined invitations to attend the opening of the new diplomatic mission.
"We haven't made a decision in principle, but I won't participate," Nielsen told local daily Sermitsiaq.
Several hundred people demonstrated outside the consulate, carrying the island's red and white flag and posters that said "USA, stop it", while chanting "No means no" and "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders".
"We will always be neighbours and stand by you, whatever future you decide for yourselves, as your allies and partners," US Ambassador to Denmark Kenneth Howery said in a speech at the opening, according to Greenlandic public broadcaster KNR.