[Video below.] Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky made clear Wednesday that he intends to oppose any effort by the Trump administration to use force in connection with Greenland, saying such a step would not be acceptable under any circumstances. Speaking on CBS Mornings, Paul said he would actively work to prevent a military scenario involving the territory.

During the interview, CBS Mornings co-host Vladimir Duthiers pressed Paul on comments coming from the White House. Duthiers said, “Senator, the president of the United States has said that the United States needs to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.The president’s press secretary says that the president and his team are discussing a range of options. And I’m quoting her here. Caroline Leavitt to CBS news. Utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander in chief’s disposal. That is a close quote from Caroline Leavitt. My question to you, sir, is do you imagine a scenario where young American soldiers, airmen, Guardsmen, Marines are actually training a weapon on a NATO ally of the United States?”

Paul responded by saying that such a situation would be unprecedented and unacceptable. “We’ve never been in a position, to my recollection, or to my knowledge of something like that. What would you say to the president’s team, when they talk about acquiring Greenland, even though Marco Rubio has told, other members of the Gang of Eight that, the president wants to buy Greenland. But using military forces, Caroline Leavitt says, is clearly an option on the table and won’t happen under my watch.”

The senator went on to argue that if the United States were to pursue Greenland at all, it would have to be done through diplomacy and consent, not force. “I will do everything to stop any kind of military takeover of Greenland. What I can tell you, though, is if you want to purchase Greenland, the best way would be to try to have goodwill with the people. So first, it would probably require a vote of the people to be independent of Denmark, which I think the people of Greenland are inclined to do. And then it would have to be some sort of offer of something that makes it better to be part of the United States. We have acquired territory. I mean, half the United States came to us through the Louisiana Purchase. Alaska came to us through a purchase. But you didn’t get to those purchases. Like any deal or diplomacy, by insulting your opponent, you get there by actually, trying to please and get your opponent to agree to this because it would have to be done voluntarily. So I see no scenario in which militarily I or really for that matter, any of my colleagues in the Senate would support a military takeover of Greenland.”

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