Former Trump adviser: If Denmark can't defend Greenland, let US buy it to 'become part of Alaska'

Former national security adviser Robert O’Brien said in a Sunday interview that Denmark should let the U.S. “buy” Greenland if it cannot defend the self-governing country, noting the territory will become increasingly important in the coming years.

In an interview on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” O’Brien described Greenland as a “highway from the Arctic all the way to North America” and noted that the autonomous country, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, will become increasingly important as the climate warms in the coming years.

“It's strategically very important to the Arctic, which is going to be the critical battleground of the future because, as the climate gets warmer, the Arctic is going to be a pathway that maybe even cuts down on the usage of the Panama Canal,” O’Brien said.

Talk of buying Greenland can also be seen as a national security play. The Arctic is a key region as the U.S. looks to counter Russia and China, and it’s becoming more contested as melting ice opens up new shipping routes.

O’Brien quoted President-elect Trump as saying that the U.S. won’t defend Greenland free of charge.

“The Russians and Chinese are all over the Arctic,” O’Brien said. “The Kingdom of Denmark owns Greenland, and they have got an obligation to defend Greenland. And so President Trump said, ‘If you don't defend Greenland, we will buy it and we will defend it. But we're not going to defend it for free and let you — and not develop Greenland and not extract the minerals and oil and resources of Greenland.’”

“Denmark is now on the front lines of the war against Russia and China. They're like the Baltic states. They're like Poland because of their vast territory in Greenland. And so they have got to defend Greenland,” O’Brien added. “And if they can't defend it, we're going to have to, and we're not going to do it for free.”

Alternatively, O’Brien said, if Denmark does not want to pay the U.S. for Greenland’s defense, the U.S. can take the territory off its hands.

“They can let us buy Greenland from [Denmark], and Greenland can become part of Alaska. I mean, the native people in Greenland are very closely related to the people of Alaska, and we will make it a part of Alaska,” O’Brien said.

In a Truth Social post announcing his pick for ambassador to Denmark last week, Trump declared that U.S. ownership of the island territory “is an absolute necessity.”

Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Eged pushed back on Trump’s comments, saying Greenland “will never be for sale,” and Denmark announced a new package to boost security of the Arctic Island.

Topics

Vehicle Ramming Attacks: Using Cars and Trucks as Weapons Has Become Common

A New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans killed at least 10 people.
The New York Times - 12m
Stop Trump’s mad Greenland scheme before it gets started

Vladimir Putin, who has made no secret of his desire to assert Russian hegemony over Eastern Europe, would relish seeing Trump put those boundaries back in play.
The Hill - 3h
Parts of UK flooded by heavy rain as wild weather continues to disrupt New Year events

Parts of the U.K. have been swamped by heavy rains and powerful winds that disrupted New Year’s celebrations
ABC News - 3h
Let’s Try Something Different in How We Deal With Trump

I know many voters reject my party’s significant leftward shift. So do I. Democrats need to refocus on bipartisan solutions to America’s problems.
The New York Times - 9h
17 Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online—We Tested for a Week Each (2025)

I’ve spent years testing dozens of bed-in-a-box hybrid, foam, and certified organic mattresses.
Wired - 11h
Chief Justice John Roberts defends judiciary from 'illegitimate' attacks

In his annual end-of-year report, Roberts said the independence of the judiciary is threatened by threats of violence, harassment, disinformation and defiance of court rulings.
NBC News - 20h
Vehicle Ramming Attacks: Using Cars and Trucks as Weapons Has Become Common

A New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans killed at least 10 people.
The New York Times - 1h
The Spin | Let the Ashes mind games begin: gazing through a crystal ball at cricket in 2025

Archer in cotton wool, Root innovates again and South Africa claim the urn – some predictions for the year ahead. January The final game between Australia and India at the SCG, the Aussies’ ...
The Guardian - 9h
Austin Reaves and new-look Lakers are encouraged but can't beat NBA-best Cavaliers

The Lakers made several runs, but Cleveland hit a barrage of three-pointers and pulled away for a 122-110 win Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
Yahoo Sports - 14h
US Capitol attack fugitive seeks asylum in Canada and hopes for Trump pardon

Antony Vo, 32, convicted over January 6 riot, was supposed to begin nine-month prison term but instead fled to Canada. An American man who absconded after being sentenced to prison for his role in ...
The Guardian - 18h

More from The Hill

Former Virginia GOP congressman forms exploratory committee for possible statewide run

Former Virginia Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman said he has formed an exploratory committee to run for statewide office as an Independent. “That’s why we started an exploratory committee, because ...
The Hill - 44m
Equal Rights Amendment advocates should take ‘dead’ for an answer

ERA advocates are attempting to revive the 1972 ERA by having President Biden order the archivist to certify it as part of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court and lower courts have ruled that ...
The Hill - 1h
Speaker race, Trump's second term, Carter funeral: January brings flurry of political events

New Year's Day ushers in a month of political events and milestones the likes of which Washington hasn't seen in a while. From the House Speaker election and memorials to former President Carter, ...
The Hill - 1h
FBI investigates New Orleans killings as terror attack

Federal law enforcement is investigating a mass casualty event in New Orleans as an "act of terrorism" after a truck was driven into crowds on a popular nightlife street in the early hours of New ...
The Hill - 1h
FBI says it thwarted apparent plot against AIPAC

The FBI thwarted an apparent plot to harm employees at a Florida office of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to court documents filed Monday. Law enforcement arrested ...
The Hill - 1h

More in Politics

House to vote on rule making it harder to oust speaker

The threshold that allowed a single member to trigger a no-confidence vote to remove the speaker will be increased to nine members.
CBS News - 10m
Former Virginia GOP congressman forms exploratory committee for possible statewide run

Former Virginia Republican Rep. Denver Riggleman said he has formed an exploratory committee to run for statewide office as an Independent. “That’s why we started an exploratory committee, because ...
The Hill - 44m
Equal Rights Amendment advocates should take ‘dead’ for an answer

ERA advocates are attempting to revive the 1972 ERA by having President Biden order the archivist to certify it as part of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court and lower courts have ruled that ...
The Hill - 1h
Speaker race, Trump's second term, Carter funeral: January brings flurry of political events

New Year's Day ushers in a month of political events and milestones the likes of which Washington hasn't seen in a while. From the House Speaker election and memorials to former President Carter, ...
The Hill - 1h
FBI investigates New Orleans killings as terror attack

Federal law enforcement is investigating a mass casualty event in New Orleans as an "act of terrorism" after a truck was driven into crowds on a popular nightlife street in the early hours of New ...
The Hill - 1h

}