Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich challenged the Trump administration on Wednesday over President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to take control of Greenland, pressing the White House on why a military option has not been ruled out.
The exchange unfolded during the daily White House press briefing, where Heinrich questioned press secretary Karoline Leavitt about the administration’s posture toward the semiautonomous territory and whether the president was prepared to clarify his intentions.
“Following up on Greenland, why not rule out taking it by military force?” Heinrich asked, directly confronting the administration’s refusal to set clear limits.
Leavitt did not back down. Instead, she defended President Donald Trump’s approach as deliberate and strategic, drawing a contrast with previous administrations that she said were too eager to publicly telegraph their plans.
“I know that past presidents and past leaders have often ruled things out,” Leavitt said. “They’ve often been very open about ruling things in and basically broadcasting their foreign policy strategy to the rest of the world — not just to our allies, but most egregiously to our adversaries.”
Leavitt emphasized that Trump does not operate that way, insisting the president keeps his options open as a matter of policy. “That’s not something this president does,” she said. “All options are always on the table for President Trump as he examines what’s in the best interest of the United States.”
While refusing to remove military action from consideration, Leavitt stressed that diplomacy remains the administration’s preferred course. “I will just say that the president’s first option always has been diplomacy,” she added.
Heinrich then followed up with a more pointed question, asking whether Trump recognizes Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland. The question referenced growing debate among some Republican lawmakers who have publicly questioned whether Denmark’s claim to the territory is legally sound.
“Does the president recognize Denmark’s ownership as part of the kingdom?” Heinrich asked. “Because there have been some Republican senators questioning the claim that Denmark has to Greenland. Is the president in that camp with them questioning the legality of—”
Before Heinrich could finish, Leavitt cut in, declining to speculate or speak for the president beyond what he has said publicly.
“I have not heard him question it personally,” Leavitt said. “But you’re welcome to ask him yourself next time you have the chance.”
The exchange highlighted the administration’s disciplined messaging around Greenland, a topic Trump has repeatedly raised in the context of U.S. national interests. Rather than offering definitive assurances to satisfy the press, Leavitt made clear that the White House sees strategic ambiguity as a strength, not a weakness.
From the administration’s perspective, refusing to rule out options — including military force — preserves leverage on the global stage and avoids signaling intentions to adversaries. At the same time, Leavitt’s remarks reinforced that diplomacy remains the president’s stated first choice, even as he continues to apply pressure.
The tense back-and-forth underscored the broader divide between the Trump administration and much of the press corps, with reporters seeking explicit commitments and the White House pushing back against what it views as attempts to box the president into premature declarations.
For now, the administration is standing firm: no public red lines, no guarantees, and no apologies for keeping America’s options open when it comes to Greenland and U.S. national interests.
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