NATO in Crisis as Trump Refuses to Rule Out Force to Seize Strategic Arctic Territory
President Trump dismisses Danish sovereignty and warns of military action to "own" Greenland, citing security fears over Russian and Chinese Arctic expansion
- US President Trump has stated the US must "own" Greenland and has refused to rule out using force to seize the strategic territory from Denmark, a NATO ally.
- The threat has created a crisis within the alliance, with the Danish Prime Minister warning that any military action against Greenland would "spell the end" of NATO.
- Other NATO members, including Canada and European allies, have sided with Denmark, reaffirming the principles of territorial integrity against the US position.
- Trump justifies the potential seizure by claiming, without evidence, that it is necessary to prevent a Russian or Chinese occupation of the Arctic region.
US President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with a key NATO ally, insisting that the United States must "own" Greenland and refusing to rule out the use of force to secure the territory.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Friday, the President asserted that existing lease agreements for military facilities were insufficient for American national security.
"Countries have to have ownership, and you defend ownership; you don't defend leases," Trump said. He warned that the US would achieve control over the island either "the easy way" or "the hard way".
The White House recently confirmed it is exploring the purchase of the semi-autonomous territory from Denmark.
However, the President’s latest remarks suggest a shift toward a policy of annexation, potentially disregarding the sovereign rights of the Danish government and the Greenlandic people.
The ‘Hard Way’ and the Venezuelan Precedent
During a meeting with oil executives, Trump brushed aside concerns regarding Danish sovereignty.
"We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," he stated. "If we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way."
The rhetoric follows the recent US-backed overthrow of the president in Venezuela, a point noted by international observers as evidence of the administration's increasingly assertive foreign policy.
Trump further mocked Denmark’s historical claim to the island, remarked: "The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land."
NATO Under Threat
The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, has issued a stark warning in response, stating that any military action against Greenland would "spell the end" of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.
Other European allies and Canada have rallied behind Copenhagen, issuing a joint statement reaffirming the principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders.
While both Russia and China have increased their activity in the Arctic, neither has laid claim to Greenland.
Nevertheless, Trump claimed—without providing evidence—that the region was "covered with Russian and Chinese ships," arguing that US ownership is the only way to prevent a rival occupation.
Local Resistance
In Greenland, the reaction has been one of unanimous defiance.
In a rare joint statement, leaders from across the political spectrum reiterated that the island is not a commodity.
"We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes; we want to be Greenlanders," the statement read. "The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people."
The US currently maintains over 100 personnel at the Pituffik Space Base in the island's north-west.
While existing treaties allow the US significant military flexibility, Trump argued that "nine-year or 100-year deals" are no longer sufficient.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the Danish Foreign Minister and Greenlandic representatives next week in an attempt to manage what is fast becoming the most significant crisis in NATO's recent history.
