Trump's Greenland acquisition plans could be squashed for a very simple reason, reveals Republican
An independent-minded Senate Republican poured cold water on a far-fetched idea that was floated early in the second Trump administration.
Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski told the Daily Mail that she doesn't 'think the Trump administration would like to buy Greenland once they realize what the price of Greenland would be.'
Murkowski's remarks came after the Daily Mail asked the senator at an event in Washington Thursday if she thinks a deal to acquire the self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark was still viable.
She was delivering a keynote address at an event on 'Restoring Arctic Exceptionalism' organized by The Arctic Institute.
An estimate from the American Action Forum (AAF) - a center-right policy institute - found that the price of Greenland, including the island's 'critical mineral and energy assets would be worth approximately $4.4 trillion.'
When removing oil and natural gas from the calculation, Greenland's value would drop to $2.7 trillion, AAF found.
Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told members of Congress Thursday that the P entagon has drafts of plans to invade Greenland, as well as Panama if the Administration chose to make such an audacious move.
Democrat Adam Smith of Washington state asked Hegseth at a Thursday hearing of House Armed Services Committee if the Department of Defense would be willing to 'take Greenland and Panama by force.'
Hegseth responded by articulating American concerns regarding Chinese influence in Panama and Greenland.
'Panama is very key terrain that we've focused on and we've been willing to focus on, as is Greenland,' Hegseth noted.
When Smith pressed Hegseth on the question of force, Hegseth replied it was prudent for the Department of Defense to prepare options.
'Our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any particular contingency,' Hegseth replied.
'So let's just be clear,' Smith continued: 'You have plans to take Panama and Greenland by force?'
'I think the American people would want the Pentagon to have plans for any particular contingency,' Hegseth said.
When GOP Rep. Mike Turner attempted to throw Hegseth a lifeline on Greenland plans, Hegseth only adjusted his words slightly.
"I sure as hell hope that it is not your testimony," Turner said, glaring at Hegseth.
The Pentagon head replied that the plan was to ensure Greenland was protected from any threats.
Buying Greenland has been an obsession of the Trump administration ever since the president took office for his second term. Trump first floated the idea of buying Greenland as far back as 2019, tweeting an artificially generated image of a golden Trump tower planted in a local Greenland village.
Col. Susannah Meyers, commander of the US military's Pituffik Space Base, was removed from command on April 10, 2025, according to a statement released by the Space Operations Command.
Vice President JD Vance visited the island early in his term, along with his wife Usha.
The Vance's visit was marred in controversy. Colonel Susannah Meyers, the commander of the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, was removed from her role in April after she publicly disagreed with remarks made by the Vice President during the trip.
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