President Donald Trump is openly signaling that America’s commitment to NATO could be on the line as he intensifies pressure on Europe over Greenland, escalating a dispute that is now rattling U.S. allies and triggering military responses overseas.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, President Trump did not rule out pulling the U.S. out of NATO if allied nations block his push to acquire Greenland.
When asked directly whether NATO membership could be jeopardized, Trump said the alliance is “dealing with us on Greenland” and insisted the territory is essential to American national security.
Trump argued that without Greenland, the U.S. faces a major vulnerability, particularly as his administration pursues what he has described as the “Golden Dome,” a multilayer missile defense system that he says depends on strategic control of the Arctic region.
The president has also floated punitive tariffs against countries that refuse to cooperate with his Greenland ambitions.
Earlier this week, Trump warned that economic penalties would be imposed on nations that “don’t go along” with the United States, sharply raising the stakes of the dispute.
European governments are already reacting.
Britain, France, Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands announced the deployment of small numbers of troops to Greenland as part of a joint military exercise.
European officials described the move as a signal that the island’s sovereignty will be defended amid rising tensions with Washington.
Denmark, which governs Greenland, has flatly rejected Trump’s demands, per the Daily Mail.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said a U.S. takeover of Greenland is “out of the question,” while Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that the president’s rhetoric risks destabilizing NATO itself.
A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Copenhagen on Friday in an effort to contain the fallout.
Lawmakers from both parties met with Danish and Greenlandic leaders, emphasizing that Trump’s threats do not reflect the views of Congress or the American public.
Senator Dick Durbin told reporters the delegation was there to reaffirm long-standing alliances. He said Greenland and Denmark have been trusted partners for decades and suggested the president’s remarks are isolating the U.S.
On the ground in Greenland, military presence has increased. Danish forces have reinforced key locations, and European troops were visible in Nuuk as preparations continued for expanded joint exercises.
French officials confirmed additional land, air, and maritime assets would be sent in the coming days.
The White House has shown no signs of backing down. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the European deployments, saying they would not alter Trump’s objectives or decision-making.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s mineral wealth and strategic position make it vital to U.S. interests. He has also criticized Denmark for what he claims is inadequate defense of the territory, despite Greenland already falling under NATO’s security umbrella.
Protests are now planned across Denmark and Greenland, with demonstrations expected in Nuuk, Copenhagen, and several major Danish cities. Greenlandic residents have expressed alarm at the president’s threats, with some warning that any attempt to seize the island would spark a constitutional and political crisis.
As tensions mount, Trump’s comments have pushed a once-unthinkable scenario into the open.
The possibility of the U.S. walking away from NATO, even as leverage over Greenland, is now being discussed publicly, marking one of the most dramatic tests of the alliance in its history.
