Former MI6 chief says Trump should be given control of Greenland
A former MI6 chief has expressed support for Donald Trump as he believes the US President obtaining control of Greenland is in the interests of 'European security'.Sir Richard Dearlove, the ex-head of Britain's intelligence agency, said there was a 'strong argument' for the US to have Greenland in a bid to deter Chinese threats. The 80-year-old has urged Denmark to lease the territory to the Americans for a hundred years in a bid to strengthen security in Europe. It comes shortly after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured by US special forces in a shock raid in Caracas last week. Maduro faces drug trafficking charges in New York, as top Venezuelan officials are accused of working with international drug trafficking rings to syphon drugs into the US. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Trump did not have the right to claim Greeland before adding its future should be decided by the island and Denmark. Sir Richard told TalkTV on Friday: 'There is a strong argument for reinforcing Europe's security by putting a much greater representation of American forces, which are the only ones that can effectively cope up in Greenland.'Now, I would have thought that it's possible for Denmark and the United States to make some agreement. Why the hell don't the Danes lease them Greenland for a hundred years? Former MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove has said there is a 'strong argument' for the US to seize control of Greenland Donald Trump's plan to acquire Greenland, either through purchasing the territory or through military means, has been criticised by political enemies and allies across Europe and in the US'I think it's really important that we look at this, not in terms of, "Gosh, isn't Trump doing dreadful stuff?" It's about European security and the safety of the area in which we live.'Sir Richard added that he believes the Danish could 'make concessions', which would be a 'big plus for Europe's security'. The ex-MI6 chief said cited the US's purchase of Alaska from Russia as well as Louisiana from France in the 19th Century as 'precedents'. When asked if he believed it would be positive if the US president annexed Greenland, he said 'definitely'. 'It makes the Northern approach a hell of a lot safer for all Europeans, and it keeps the Chinese out too, which is also massively important.'It comes as Sir Keir was frantically trying to persuade Donald Trump that NATO can defend the Arctic without a US takeover of Greenland.European leaders have backed Denmark in a dispute with the US, which threatens to tear the Nato alliance apart.The Prime Minister held calls with the Danish leader and the head of NATO before speaking to the US President for the second time in two days. Members of the Danish armed forces practice looking for potential threats during a military on September 17, 2025 Keir Starmer launched a frantic bid on Thursday night to persuade Donald Trump that Nato can defend the Arctic without a US takeover of GreenlandRead More 'I fear Greenland is on brink of civil war': Families torn apart as locals vent at Denmark AND Trump Downing Street said Sir Keir had attempted to persuade Mr Trump that Europe was defending the Arctic, but did eventually concede that more could be done. It said the leaders had 'discussed Euro-Atlantic security and agreed on the need to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia in the High North'.A statement added: 'European allies had stepped up in recent months to defend Euro-Atlantic interests, but more could be done to protect the area, the Prime Minister said.'In a day of intensive diplomacy, the PM spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who previously said if the US chooses to attack another Nato country militarily, 'then everything stops'.However, both agreed 'that NATO should step up in the area to protect Euro-Atlantic interests'. Nato secretary General Mark Rutte agreed with Sir Keir that 'more needed to be done to deter Russia in the High North'. Both welcomed discussions on how allied countries could 'further protect the region from increasing Russian threats.'President Trump's plan to acquire Greenland, either through purchasing the territory or through military means, has been criticised by political enemies and allies across Europe and in the US.
