"The Europeans radiate weakness, the United States radiates strength. The president believes that enhanced security is not possible as long as Greenland is not part of the United States," Bessent said in an interview with NBC on Sunday.
Several European leaders have signaled that an American attempt to actually take over the world's largest island would mean the end of the NATO military alliance, something the finance minister describes as a "false choice."
European leaders will give in and understand that they need to be included in the US security structure.
The comments come after Trump on Saturday threatened Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland with tariffs if the United States is not allowed to take over Greenland.
The punitive tariffs will be 10 percent and will apply from February 1, according to Trump - who is threatening to raise them to 25 percent on June 1 if he does not get his way.
