Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserts that President Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland and reasserting control over the Panama Canal stems from legitimate national security threats posed by China's growing influence in these strategic areas.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that President Donald Trump's plan to buy Greenland was "not a joke." Earlier this month, Trump said that U.S. economic security depends on controlling Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Greenland’s population is overwhelmingly against leaving the Danish realm in favor of the US, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump’s insistence the island is keen to join.