U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with NBC on the 18th, local time, that "when Europe shows weakness, the United States shows strength," arguing that incorporating Greenland would be best for everyone.
Minister Bessent, asked that day about the rationale for pursuing the purchase of Greenland, said it was "about not outsourcing the security of the United States and the Western Hemisphere to another country." The intent is to incorporate Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, into U.S. territory to firmly seize the lead in Arctic security.
He then mentioned the next-generation missile defense network the United States is building, the "Golden Dome," and said President Trump is focused on the battlefield of the future. He said, "The president is a strategist. He is looking at battles that will take place in the Arctic in the future, not this year or next." The logic is that if adversaries such as Russia attack Greenland, the United States would inevitably be drawn into war, so it is better to make it U.S. soil and maintain "peace through strength."
Trump's own resolve is firm. In a Reuters interview on the 15th, he dismissed criticism that U.S. public opinion on purchasing Greenland is lukewarm as a "fake poll." He said, "There are many times you can't persuade voters. You just have to do the right thing," making clear he would push ahead even with politically unpopular policies.
Tensions between the United States and Europe appear to be spreading beyond territorial issues to trade and security overall. With the Trump administration recently announcing plans to impose a tariff on eight NATO member states, cracks are appearing in the trans-Atlantic alliance.
On this, Minister Bessent pressed that "European leaders will eventually turn around and realize they need to be under America's security umbrella." Reminding them that if the United States cuts off aid to Ukraine, Europe's entire security would collapse, he urged them to accept the tariff measures. He added, "President Trump believes in NATO, but he does not want the United States to be dragged into war."
The United States, Europe and the parties to the conflict also have clear differences over how to end the war in Ukraine. In the Reuters interview, President Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate. He pointed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the reason peace talks have stalled. Trump said, "The obstacle is Zelenskyy," criticizing that he does not want a peace deal. The remarks are seen as pressure on Ukraine to return immediately to the negotiating table, including territorial concessions.