This is John Batchelor.

Conversation with my colleague, Colonel Jeff McCausen, the United States Army retired CBS News,

about the news that Mr. Trump is interested in acquiring Greenland for the defense of North America.

What that means the history of acquiring Greenland and what it means for the NATO alliance.

Jeff speaks to very bluntly.

The NATO alliance is brittle right now because of the Ukraine war, because of demands on the economies,

because of unhappiness in Germany.

And Jeff speaks to what happens if the NATO alliance falls apart.

Here's Jeff McCausen, a NATO veteran when he was Sir Active Duty, commenting on Greenland.

Is this the straw-back camel? More of this tonight.

Yeah, sadly, John, I do, because unfortunately mr trump as he expressed in his first term this desire for greenland to become part of the united

states but he talked about it in those terms in the first administration with the united

states in fact purchasing uh greenland And then that has some historical precedent.

Apparently, William Seward, as Secretary of State to Abraham Lincoln,

when the United States purchased Alaska, tried to purchase Greenland.

Harry Truman at the end of World War II offered to purchase Greenland for $100 million,

because the United States, frankly, had occupied Greenland, which was part of Denmark, once the Danes were occupied Greenland for $100 million because the United States, frankly, had occupied Greenland, which

was part of Denmark, once the Danes were occupied by Nazi Germany, for the many reasons

you just talked about, to preclude the Nazis from having access to Greenland ports for

their submarines. And second of all, these strategic minerals that are part and parcel of

greenland, which are perhaps even more important today than they were back in the 1940s. But now, Mr. Trump has said, not only

do I want to talk about possibly purchasing, he asked you left on the table the United States

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