Many have criticized President Donald Trump’s blunt demand that Greenland must become United States property, but defenders of the president say his “Art of the Deal” bargaining was behind a bully-like tone and veiled threats of taking the island by force.
On Wednesday, at the World Economic Forum meeting of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, Trump reversed course and announced he was cancelling his plan for hard-hitting tariffs on European nations opposing him. That reversal came after a “framework of a future deal” was announced by Trump on social media after he met with Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general.
"Based upon a very productive meeting," Trump wrote, "we have formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.
Kirk Lippold, a retired U.S. Navy commander, told American Family News that Greenland is “critical” for the United States, and for NATO, because of its important strategic location.
“First and foremost, it provides us with a geographic positioning for early-warning radars," Lippold advised. "It could eventually be used for a base for land-based ballistic missile interceptors like we have up in Greeley, Alaska.”
Lippold, who was interviewed by AFN before Trump’s announcement, said President Trump’s demands are a “small ask” considering how the United States saved Europe from Hitler in World War 2, then contributed to NATO during the Cold War and right now.
“Europe needs to start acting in a manner that demonstrates to us that they are capable of making decisions to defend themselves with the U.S. as the backup, not the lead,” Lippold argued.
