U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the House Armed Services Committee on 12 June that the Pentagon has drafted contingency plans for potential military operations in both Greenland and Panama. Questioned repeatedly by lawmakers, Hegseth refused to rule out the use of force and said the Defense Department must be prepared for "any number of contingencies." In a tense exchange, Republican Rep. Mike Turner sought to elicit an explicit denial that the Pentagon intended to invade Greenland. Hegseth declined, responding instead that the United States "looks forward to working with Greenland to ensure it is secured." Democratic Rep. Adam Smith pressed Hegseth on whether Americans support planning to seize foreign territories; Hegseth maintained that preparing for all scenarios is a core Pentagon responsibility. Hegseth’s comments amount to an unusual public acknowledgment of hypothetical invasion plans involving territories outside traditional U.S. conflict zones. The remarks drew bipartisan concern and could complicate diplomatic relations with both the Danish-governed Arctic island and Panama, which controls the Panama Canal. Neither Copenhagen nor Panama City had issued a formal response at the time of the hearing.