‘Trying to play catch up’: Scott Bessent dismantles Kristen Welker’s ‘false choice’ between NATO, Greenland

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismantled NBC host Kristen Welker’s “false choice” framing that the United States must decide between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Greenland during a Sunday appearance on “Meet the Press.”

President Donald Trump wrote on Wednesday in a Truth Social post that the United States “needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security,” warning of the risk posed if Russia or China were to gain control first. Citing concerns that annexing Greenland could undermine NATO, Welker asked Bessent whether NATO or Greenland is “more essential” to U.S. national security.

“Well, Kristen, that’s obviously a false choice. That’s a maximum— ” Bessent began before Welker jumped in.

The NBC host stated that the question wasn’t giving a “false choice” from the “perspective of European leaders.”

“European leaders will come around, and they will understand that they need to be under the U.S. security umbrella. What would happen in Ukraine if the U.S. pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse,” Bessent responded. “Kristen, to be clear, since 1980, the U.S. has spent — U.S. military spending versus NATO military spending — we have spent 22 trillion more dollars than the Europeans have. We are peace through strength, and the Europeans now are only trying to play catch-up. And that is only through President Trump. President Trump believes in NATO, but he does not believe in the American people being dragged in.”

WATCH:

Welker then pushed back again on the Treasury secretary, pointing out Denmark has “stood shoulder to shoulder” with the U.S. — including after Sept. 11, 2001 — before asking if Trump wants the U.S. to remain part of NATO.

“Of course, we are going to remain a part of NATO, but what President Trump does not want is for a war to start and the U.S. get[s] dragged in. Again, we are not going to outsource our western hemispheric security to others,” Bessent said.

Greenland and Denmark officials met Wednesday with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio after Trump’s latest public push to acquire Greenland.

The bid to take the island — an autonomous territory of Denmark — has been advanced by Trump since his first term in 2019. Such discussions were revived in January 2025. Despite some dismissals about Trump’s follow-through on acquiring the island, Rubio told Megyn Kelly on Jan. 30, 2025, that Trump’s bid for Greenland is “not a joke.”

The Secretary of State told Kelly at the time that the reason for the inquiry was due to potential competition with China over the land and its importance to issues like “shipping lanes.”

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