GOP rep tries — and fails — to 'help out' Trump def sec in confrontation over taking Greenland by force
Rep. Mike Turner, (R-Ohio) Gives Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth a second chance to dispel plans to invade a NATO ally. June 12, 2025, (C-Span ScreenGrab)
A Republican lawyer nearly grit his teeth in the U.S. House today when U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth refused to deny the White House had a plan to invade and conquer the island of Greenland.
Rep. Mike Turner, (R-Ohio) claimed he wanted to clear the air for Hegesth during Thursday’s House Armed Services Committee meeting and get the story straight on any potential misunderstanding of President Donald Trump’s claim of wanting to invade and capture the island of Greenland, which is currently the territory of U.S. European ally Denmark.
“Lawyer here,” Turner said, explaining his motives at the “4:28” mark of the embedded video below. “I just want to help you out because people try to twist your words. You are not confirming in your testimony today that the Pentagon has plans for invading or taking by force Greenland, correct?”
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“All my testimony is … is that the Pentagon has plans for any number of contingencies —" Hegseth offered.
At that point, Turner cut Hegesth off with a terse prod for clarification
“— It is not your testimony today that there are plans at the Pentagon for taking by force or invading Greenland, correct?” Turner demanded, “because I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony.”
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“We look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats,” Hegseth said.
“Excellent. I yield my time,” replied Turner.
Greenland and the kingdom of Denmark are both members of NATO, but that did not stop Trump from publicly mulling the idea of invading the island and “liberating” it from Denmark. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen recently told Newsweek that the U.S. president still has not ruled out using force to acquire Greenland, whose residents do seek full independence from Denmark but oppose a U.S. takeover.
Watch the full video below, or by clicking here.
