Trump’s Tough Talk Got Us Everything We Wanted in Greenland [WATCH]

Jonathan Karl pressed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on U.S. policy toward Greenland during an exchange focused on President Donald Trump’s recent comments at the Davos forum, questioning whether the administration had reversed course after earlier rhetoric involving tariffs and the possibility of military force.

“How do you explain what happened with Greenland?” Karl asked.

“I mean, the President goes into Davos, not ruling out military force, talking about imposing tariffs on the Europeans who oppose us retaking Greenland, and now suddenly he’s okay with essentially, it seems like the same agreement that’s been in place since the 50s.”

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Bessent rejected the premise that the administration had simply accepted an unchanged arrangement, saying key details of the agreement had not been fully disclosed and arguing that the strategic environment surrounding Greenland has shifted significantly.

“Well, I think you haven’t seen the full agreement,” Bessent said.

He credited NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte with helping facilitate discussions between European leaders and President Trump.

“Secretary General, Mark Rutte was very good interlocutor between the Europeans and between President Trump.”

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Bessent said developments in the Arctic have elevated Greenland’s importance to U.S. national interests, pointing to changes in global shipping routes and increased activity by China in the region.

“But look, a lot. A lot of things have changed up in Greenland, Jonathan,” Bessent said.

“Do you know what the Istanbul Bridge is? Chinese freight ship that, for the first time in October, came across the Arctic into the UK. They are shortening their travel time.”

According to Bessent, those changes have made Arctic access a central strategic concern for the United States.

“So the Arctic is changing,” he said.

“Very important strategically for the US to help control that.”

Bessent sought to clarify that Greenland would not become part of the United States, while maintaining that the administration believes it has secured a substantially improved arrangement compared with previous agreements.

“But again, it seems like we’re going to basically have this Greenland is not going to become part of the United States,” Bessent said.

“We’re going to have, I promise you, the deal is not what we had before. Okay, much more full for the United States.”

He also placed the current negotiations within a broader historical context, noting longstanding American interest in Greenland that predates the current administration.

“And again, John, just to be clear, for 150 years, American presidents have had their eye on Greenland,” Bessent said.