Trump Threatens Military Annexation of Greenland Amid NATO Backlash

President Donald Trump has vowed to seize Greenland by force, escalating tensions with NATO allies over U.S. security concerns in the Arctic region. During a brief interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump declined to comment directly on the matter but reiterated his stance that Europe should focus on conflicts with Russia and Ukraine rather than Greenland.

The former president’s rhetoric intensified this weekend as he announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on all trade with eight NATO nations participating in “Arctic Endurance” military exercises. The tariffs would rise to 25% by June, targeting Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Finland.

The European countries responded with a joint statement Sunday condemning the U.S. threat and reaffirming their commitment to Arctic security. Trump characterized the tariffs as real action against anti-American exercises, stating he would “100%” follow through on the tariffs until a deal on Greenland is reached.

In a Truth Social post Sunday night, Trump wrote that NATO had been urging Denmark for 20 years to address Russian threats in Greenland but that the nation has failed. He declared, “Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!! President Donald J. Trump.”

Critics within his own party raised concerns about legal authority. Mike Turner, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, warned that while there are legitimate national security issues in Greenland, the president lacks constitutional power to use military force to seize territory from a NATO country.

Rep. Michael McCaul, former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, cautioned that forcibly taking Greenland would effectively declare war on NATO, violating Article 5 protections that guarantee mutual defense among member states. “For him to militarily invade would turn Article 5 of NATO on its very head,” McCaul stated in an interview with ABC News.

Trump also sent a message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, asserting that Denmark has no legitimate claim to Greenland due to the absence of written documents supporting ownership. He claimed the United States had historically been the first to land vessels there and argued that “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”