Maggie Haberman Says Trump’s Greenland ‘Deal’ Appears To Be ‘Something That Is Already in Existence’
· Yahoo NewsCNN commentator Maggie Haberman said that the Greenland arrangement being discussed by President Donald Trump and European leaders seems to be one that already exists.
Trump spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday after he spent weeks demanding that Denmark hand over Greenland. The president cited “national security” reasons even though a 1951 treaty allows the U.S. to expand its military presence on the island, where it already maintains a base.
In his address, Trump said he wants “right, title, and ownership” of the territory. Afterward, the president announced he and European leaders had arrived at a “framework” and a “concept of a deal” regarding Greenland. He gave no specifics, but conservative commentators hailed the mystery agreement as the stuff of a modern-day Metternich.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
On Wednesday’s AC360, Haberman said signs indicate that the deal in question is “something that is already in existence.”
“So, Maggie, is it clear to you what, if anything, President Trump is getting from Denmark in Greenland that the U.S. doesn’t already have de facto control over?” Anderson Cooper asked.
“No. And look, Anderson, we don’t know the answers to these questions,” Haberman replied. “There’s a lot left unsaid. The president didn’t answer this.”
Haberman went on to say that based on what little information has been provided about the “framework,” it appears to be a reflection of the preexisting arrangement among the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
“As of now, based on what they’re talking about, it looks as if they’re talking about something that is already in existence,” she continued. “And in fact, the U.S. used to have a greater military presence in Greenland. It got scaled back after the Cold War.”
She noted that in his Davos speech, Trump maligned NATO and questioned if it would ever come to the defense of the U.S. In fact, the only time NATO’s collective defense provision was invoked was on behalf of the U.S. after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“Article 5 [of the NATO treaty] was invoked once, and it was after 9/11,” Haberman said. “And someone who is from New York, it’s surprising that they don’t recall that. And so, he is speaking about this completely in transactional terms. And you can see that this is not over. I understand that [NATO Secretary-General] Mark Rutte is trying to calm things down, but European leaders are still very alarmed. And leaders in Denmark have been very alarmed for weeks and weeks now before this really became much more public.”
Watch above via CNN.
The post Maggie Haberman Says Trump’s Greenland ‘Deal’ Appears To Be ‘Something That Is Already in Existence’ first appeared on Mediaite.