We have to have Greenland. It's not a question of, do you think we can do without it? We can't.

From CBS News headquarters in New York, this is the CBS Evening News.

Good evening. I'm John Dickerson. I'm Maurice Dubois. It's not easy being Greenland.

Not when the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth says he wants to take you over.

The president told Congress earlier this month he believes it'll happen one way or another.

And today, he said we have to have it.

His vice president was in Greenland today on something of a scouting mission.

But Greenlanders, there are about 57,000

are making clear they don't want to be a part of the United States.

Four political parties opposed to a U.S. takeover

formed a ruling coalition yesterday in Greenland's parliament.

Holly Williams is in Nuke, Greenland's capital.

And Holly, the president said he wants Greenland one way or the other, but it seems like at least one way is off the table.

Good evening. For months now, President Trump has been talking tough about taking control of Greenland as U.S. territory.

But today, Vice President Vance used a much more conciliatory tone, saying, quote,

we do not think military force is ever going to be necessary.

The Bedoufik Space Base is America's northern most military outpost.

The vice president used his brief visit there today to play up how Russia and China could threaten Arctic security.

A lot of people are making a play. We know that America cares about the security of this island.

The US base is vital to America's missile defense systems, because if Russia ever targeted

the US with ballistic missiles, the shortest route would be across the Arctic.

President Trump has said he wants to take over Greenland for security reasons,

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