Trump Floats Idea of Buying Greenland; New Poll: Warren Surges, 4 Democrats Now Top Trump.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I look at the real estate. I'm always looking at the real estate. I don't know. I'll never get it out of my blood.</s>BOLDUAN: Reports are President Trump has a new piece of real estate on his mind. This time it isn't a skyscraper or golf course, but rather an entire country. Greenland. CNN has learned from sources that President Trump has on multiple occasions floated the idea of buying the island from the Danish government. Even so far as getting the White House counsel's office to look into the possibility. CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more from Greenland.</s>FRED PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Folks in the very beautiful territory of Greenland don't seem that interested in President Trump's alleged idea to buy this place. The official government of the semi-autonomous region said, quote, "Greenland is not for sale." They did say that they were willing to conduct cooperation between what they call equal countries. Now, local residents we spoke to here in this small village said the Americans tried to acquire Greenland in 1867 and in World War II and they failed. And one resident said it will not happen. There are some reasons why America might want to have Greenland. It certainly does seem to have a lot of natural resources. And the Chinese have been trying to get in on that business. That's not something the U.S. likes seeing with China trying to get a lot of the business here. Also, the U.S. has a big military base here in Greenland as well. So there are some good reasons why the U.S. might want Greenland. However, if these natural resources become exploitable in Greenland, certainly, the folks we're would want full autonomy and independence rather than becoming part of the United States. One of the things that President Trump would probably have to do if he were to acquire Greenland is finally acknowledge that climate change is real because Greenland, with its giant ice sheet, is certainly in the frontline in the battle against climate change. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Greenland.</s>BOLDUAN: Fred, thank you so much. So the possibility of Trump's interest in buying Greenland was first reported by the "Wall Street Journal." Joining me now is one of the "Wall Street Journal" reporters who broke this story, Vivian Salama. Thank you so much for being here, Vivian.</s>VIVIAN SALAMA, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER, WALL STREET JOURNAL: Hi, Kate.</s>BOLDUAN: How serious are you told that President Trump really is about this?</s>SALAMA: So there's always a caveat. I've been covering this administration since President Trump took office and he's the most unpredictable president that I have known in my lifetime. So it's really hard to say what he'll do. Most of the sources that we spoke to, my team and I, who worked on this story, said that there were varying degrees of seriousness when it came to it. Sometimes he was really curious about the possibilities of it, as Fred mentioned. And as we determined, he asked White House counsel to look into it. He's asked advisers numerous numerous times about it. But sometimes he just kind of says, when we buy Greenland everything is going to be great. He'll use these sorts of passing jokey references to it. But all we know, when I had originally gotten the tip, is we know that it comes up in conversation constantly because it's something that's always on his mind. That's how the original source told it to me, like the president just frequently references this desire of his to buy Greenland. So no one really thinks it's eminent or going to happen but, then again, he's going to Denmark next month and he might surprise us and bring it up. So who knows?</s>BOLDUAN: The timing of this is also fascinating. Look, it sounds out there, yes. You do remind people, though, in your piece that the United States has tried twice before to purchase the island. Do your sources know, was it one thing that sparked President Trump's interest here? Why does he want Greenland?</s>SALAMA: There are also varying stories as to where this idea came from, who planted it in his head in the first place. One person told us that he was at a round table and someone told him that Denmark was actually having financial trouble because it provides subsidies to Greenland. Denmark is a big reason why Greenland functions, it's economy functions. Otherwise, it would be a really poor country. Someone said, you should help them out, you should take it off their hands, and he started to ask around, can I do that. Greenland has also come up numerous times as far as any kind of military or national security strategy in the Arctic, as far as confronting China and Russia and their ambitions in the region. And so it gets the wheels turning in his head whenever those stories come up. So obviously, it's something that has been considered. And just as you pointed out, rightly, it has been done. And this is something that was really surprising over the course of your reporting this story.</s>BOLDUAN: Yes.</s>SALAMA: When we first heard it, we were kind of laughing about it. Then the more we started to research this, we were like, hold on, maybe this isn't so off the wall. And a big reason that the U.S. wanted to buy it in 1946 right after World War II was that they wanted to pursue this possible Arctic exploration. In exchange, there was a quid pro quo for Denmark. They were going to give Denmark a chunk of Alaska in those days. They were going to give Denmark $100 million and a chunk of Alaska to let them do some oil exploration in Alaska and the U.S., in turn, would take Greenland. So I don't think any of that is going to happen or anything even similar to that. So we're probably a long way from any of this happening.</s>BOLDUAN: Yes.</s>SALAMA: Also, there's the minor, minor point that the people in Greenland would probably have a say in the matter and --</s>BOLDUAN: Right, minor point that Greenland says it's not for sale also.</s>SALAMA: Greenland is not for sale. And I think the U.S. Congress would also have to have a say in it. And I don't think they're too keen either. So we'll wait and see.</s>BOLDUAN: I did read that portion of your reporting three times. Like really? Really? This has come up twice before? I was fascinated by it. Thanks for bringing it to us, Vivian. Really appreciate it.</s>SALAMA: Thank you.</s>BOLDUAN: Coming up, there's a measure this morning, a new measure this morning on the state of the 2020 race showing Senator Elizabeth Warren is on the rise, making some big strides. It also shows some big red flags for President Trump. That is next.