Hegseth says the Pentagon has contingency plans to invade Greenland if necessary

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 1:06 PM EDT, June 12, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon has developed plans to take over Greenland and Panama by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions during a hotly combative congressional hearing Thursday about his use of Signal chats to discuss military operations.

Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee repeatedly got into heated exchanges with Hegseth, with some of the toughest lines of questioning coming from military veterans as many demanded yes or no answers and he tried to avoid direct responses about his actions as Pentagon chief.

In one back-and-forth, Hegseth did provide an eyebrow-raising answer. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., asked whether the Pentagon has plans to take Greenland or Panama by force if necessary. “Our job at the Defense Department is to have plans for any contingency,” Hegseth said several times.

It is not unusual for the Pentagon to draw up contingency plans for conflicts that have not arisen, but his handling of the questions prompted a Republican lawmaker to step in a few minutes later. “It is not your testimony today that there are plans at the Pentagon for taking by force or invading Greenland, correct?” said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio. As Hegseth started to repeat his answer about contingency plans, Turner added emphatically, “I sure as hell hope that is not your testimony.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-greenland-signal-congress-295b03478d985678c4f2bf2eb5b513ba

[Attilatheblond]

1. How the hell would it become necessary? Greenland is not threatening the US

Hurting Trump's feelings and/or refusing to hand over their land/minerals to the Trump regime is not a threat.

The generals, even the one's trump put in charge, had better do a gut check and read up on illegal orders PRETTY DAMNED QUICK

[raccoon]

3. Iraq wasn't threatening the US either.

[groundloop]

5. And yet a crooked President, Vice President, and cronies convinced everyone otherwise.....

It's all too easy to manipulate the country into a needless war.

[Attilatheblond]

7. Yep, but W was pissed Saddam made an idle threat against GW so it was easy for Cheny to manipulate him into war

And we all knew it, raised hell, and then watched as soldiers came home in boxes. We won't go there again. And I hope there are still some military brass with some courage.

[Skittles]

30. what they're doing in LA isn't necessary

it's a hallmark of fascism - making up the "reason"

[Initech]

32. They're threatening stupid orange man baby's Fox News time though.

Just like the Panama Canal is.

[IronLionZion]

35. If defense contractors want money, and mining companies want their minerals

and they buy Hegseth a round of shots at the bar and send out the plans over a signal chat.

[generalbetrayus]

2. Actually, I read once that the military once upon a time had contingency plans for invading all kinds of countries,

including Canada, going back to the 1920s or even earlier. The military could downsize significantly if it fired all the people who plan.

[Shipwack]

41. 100% correct!

There are probably plans for UFOs appearing and California sliding into the ocean. While some of the scenarios are unlikely, it gives good practice on planning and logistics.

Not that Hegseth isn’t a piece of shit, of course…

[surfered]

4. Uh, does the Secretary of Defense know Greenland is a member of NATO and as such,

Article V requires us to defend them if they are attacked?

Where does Trump find these people?

[Attilatheblond]

9. Hogseth was pretty (to Trump) on TV. Other than that, he was pulled from the bottom of a bottle

[Karasu]

22. The fascists have no intention of staying in NATO and have done everything short of officially withdrawing at this

point.

[Norrrm]

6. Lots of words to say 'yes' without using the word 'yes'.

[surfered]

8. I would advise Greenland to monitor Signal to learn our invasion plans.

[kimbutgar]

10. Something tells me if they attempt this it will lead to world war3 where we are the enemies that need to be

Defeated. The military goes into Greenland and will be surrounded by several European nations, and Canada.

[ificandream]

25. I can't fathom that any intelligent Republican would support that.

"Now can you just show me an intelligent Republican," he says in his best Groucho voice.

[Wiz Imp]

28. Yes. The US no longer has any real allies - Trump has destroyed the relationships with every single one of them

[Hornedfrog2000]

38. If they attempt this now

It will lead to the end of trump. They are hoping to do it once the coup has clearly been completed.

[BidenRocks]

11. The unUnited states v The World

Like Russia v Ukraine, this country will get its ass kicked from without and within!
We have never fought alone and we didn't win WWII either. That was a World effort!
Chump!

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. The Danes are saying:

"Something is rotten in the state of the United States". Do these fools know that Iceland is part of NATO member Denmark?

[twodogsbarking]

13. America cannot be trusted. Sucks but true.

[hadEnuf]

14. Trump's America is acting like Nazi Germany did.

And Trump is filling the Hitler part well.

[slightlv]

15. This is what is terrifying the world...

trump has become a new age Hitler, backed by Putin in Russia, and friendly with Xi in China and Un in N Korea. WE are the Axis of Evil, and if that doesn't blow your mind nothing will!

Hitler did enough damage with just the military people and equipment he had. And his weapons were excellent. But he was as demented as trump is right now. These people always push the envelope to the point where they end up in jail or dead... usually dead. But in the meantime, they cause untoward damage to their own countries as well as the countries they're fighting. Hitler, like Alexander the Great, wanted to rule the world. trump does, too. In fact, if you look at what he's done since we kicked him out of office (when he was running an illegal shadow government), and also his words, he makes it plainly obvious he considers himself ruler of the world right now. And the world better damn well do what he says. It's rapidly escalating now. In the US, California and Padilla are tipping points. The military is going to have to make a decision as to whether their oath is to the Constitution or to trump, and act accordingly. Up til now, we've had a "soft" coup... if the military doesn't make a constitutional stand we will have a military coup, just like other third world nations. At that point, all bets are off as to where the shooting starts. It WILL be Civil War. No military likes to fight two wars at one time. But our military may be fighting overseas AND in the U.S., too. Somebody with some power better decide that enough is enough and start deescalating trump, and with more than sternly worded memos! Ship him off to the nearest old folks home and strip P2025 from government. I'd say classify the RNC, the Judicial Watch, and the Heritage Foundation as enemy combatants, since what they're trying to do is in complete opposition to the Constitution and the principles this country was founded upon. Offer anyone who wants to leave flights to any dictator led country they desire. There, they can have their cake and eat it, too. The Dominionists I'd say drop off in the Middle East and allow them to live in a theocracy there. The rest of us in the U.S. can start mending fences and repairing our country. But that's just me.

[IronLionZion]

36. It might end in a bunker at mar a lardo

[thesquanderer]

16. "We look forward to working with Greenland to ensure that it is secured from any potential threats"...

... an eyebrow-raising thing for him to say, when at the moment, their biggest potential threat appears to be us. Sounds like another example of, "Nice country ya' got there... it would be a shame if something happened to it."

[Wiz Imp]

29. Biggest potential threat?? Try ONLY potential threat.

[Hornedfrog2000]

39. Sounds like putin talking about ukraine

Agree?

[Buddyzbuddy]

17. This is an autonomous Country, an ally, Hegseth, not a liquor store or bar.

[Marcuse]

18. "We need to conquer Greenland so we can defend against Russian aggression. Oh, wait.."

[Evolve Dammit]

19. Yeah the Inuets are the enemy. Give me a fucking break you fascist bastards...

[Kid Berwyn]

20. Lebensraum!

Anschluss.

[mahina]

21. No shit Einstein

Jaysus this man.

They have plans to invade Russia too. They have plans for every possible situation.

That doesn’t mean they’re gonna do any of it. Did he just find this out? Seriously.

[LudwigPastorius]

23. Just to review:

We’re only 5 months into Trump’s term and we’ve got:

Marines deployed in the 2nd largest city in the country, with the Homeland Security secretary threatening to remove its mayor and the state’s governor

ICE kidnapping people off the streets, including the occasional legal citizen

A U.S.senator being roughed up and arrested for asking questions at a press conference

And, acknowledgment that the military has a plan in place for an invasion of a NATO ally

So, much for a long, slow slide into fascism.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. "A U.S.senator being roughed up and arrested for asking questions at a press conference"

That U.S. Senator also represents California along with Adam Schiff!

[IronLionZion]

37. Move fast and break things

in this case they are breaking the USA

[sakabatou]

26. This has to be a distraction

[Hangingon]

27. The Pentagon is probably full of plans

We probably have plans for every country. Does not mean we will.

[SSJVegeta]

31. Thats not how "contingency plans" work

[prodigitalson]

33. Spoken like a true red blooded, patriotic, all American chronic day drinker

a real star spangled ass grabber with a divorce attorney on retainer who can quit anytime, but gets wall punching mad at the mildest suggestion that he do so.

[Godot51]

34. little man pete

please define the word necessary in this context.

[Lulu KC]

40. Define "necessary," Pete