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Defense &
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The Big Story

Vance rules out military force for Greenland

Vice President Vance in a speech from a U.S. base in Greenland said Friday the U.S. is not likely to use military force in President Trump’s pursuit of taking over the territory.

Vance also said the U.S. respects Greenland’s sovereignty, despite Trump’s repeated comments that America would take ownership of the Arctic island away from Denmark.

“We do not think military force is ever going to be necessary,” Vance said in response to a reporter’s question on whether there are military plans to take over the island.

“What we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose, through self-determination, to become independent of Denmark, and then we’re going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there.”

Vance made his remarks from the Pituffik Space Base, an American military installation that is a critical front line in missile defense, missile warning and space surveillance. It is located in the northwestern part of Greenland.

Trump has repeatedly discussed acquiring Greenland, arguing it would strengthen U.S. security and combat threats ranging from Russia’s access to the Arctic to China’s attempts to make inroads in the region.

“We need Greenland for international security. We have to have Greenland,” Trump said in remarks from the White House on Friday.

Vance shifted attention to Denmark’s responsibility for Greenland’s security, saying that the Danes “have not done their job in keeping this area safe.”

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, which criticized Vance’s trip to the island and has repeatedly said the territory is not for sale.

Vance said the U.S. had no plans to expand its military presence on the island and suggested that any change in security in Greenland would be done in consultation with its capital Nuuk.

The Pituffik visit was arranged after the White House decided to cancel a “heritage” tour of the island for second lady Usha Vance, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright amid intense backlash from officials in Nuuk and Copenhagen — and an apparent cold shoulder from Greenlanders.

Read the full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

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Essential Reads

How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future:

Hillary Clinton: Signal group chat ‘dangerous’ and ‘just dumb’

Former secretary of State and one-time Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton blasted the Trump administration’s Signal app leak as “dangerous” and “just dumb” in a New York Times opinion piece published Friday. “In a dangerous and complex world, it’s not enough to be strong. You must also be smart,” Clinton wrote in her op-ed on top-level Trump officials’ decision to …

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On Our Radar

Upcoming things we’re watching on our beat:

The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Tuesday.

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Trump administration moves to eliminate USAID, firing remaining employees

The Trump administration is moving to formally end the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), notifying the remaining employees they will be terminated and the agency will be merged with the State Department. The move will fully absorb all remaining USAID functions into the State Department …

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On Tap Monday

Events in and around the defense world:

Hudson Institute will hold a talk on “Fully Exploiting Autonomous Military Systems,” at 9 a.m.
Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will discuss “Setting the Nuclear Deterrence Record Straight: Commanders’ Perspectives,” at 1 p.m

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets:

Hegseth tells Philippines the Trump administration will ramp up deterrence against China threat (The Associated Press)
Visiting Greenland, Vance finds the weather and the reception chilly, (The New York Times)

Trending Today

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Trump gets $100M deal with Skadden law firm amid pressure campaign

President Trump on Friday announced a deal with the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom to provide at least $100 million in pro bono … Read more

MAHA will make groceries unaffordable for many

Will no one be honest about the trade-offs? Read more

Opinions in The Hill

Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:

Signal group chat is only the latest dangerous intelligence lapse
Beyond the Signal leak, does the US have a plan for the Red Sea?
Group chats are for planning drinks, not wars — but that’s not the worst part of Team Trump’s Signal fiasco