US President Donald Trump has once again asserted his controversial ambition to acquire Greenland, stating the US would take the territory "one way or the other." The remarks, made overnight to reporters aboard Air Force One, have escalated diplomatic tensions and drawn a stark warning from Denmark about the future of the NATO alliance.
'Fateful Moment' for Denmark and NATO
Trump's comments came just hours after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the situation as a critical juncture. "We are at a crossroads, and this is a fateful moment," Frederiksen stated, expressing deep concern over the US potentially turning its back on a NATO ally. She emphasised that the threat to an ally was unprecedented and warned that "everything will stop" if the US abandons its commitments.
When questioned about the potential impact of his Greenland ambitions on the NATO alliance, President Trump was dismissive. "If it affects Nato, it affects Nato. But you know, they need us much more than we need them," he said. He further claimed credit for "saving" the alliance by pushing member states to increase their defence spending.
Trump's Justification: Countering Russia and China
President Trump justified his renewed interest in the vast Arctic territory by invoking strategic competition. He insisted that if the United States did not take Greenland, then Russia or China would move to claim it, despite no public indication of such plans from either nation. "I'm not letting that happen," Trump declared.
In a derisive assessment of Greenland's current defences, the President mocked, "It's two dog sleds," contrasting them with Russian and Chinese "destroyers and submarines all over the place." His comments underscore a persistent view of the Arctic as a zone of renewed great-power rivalry.
Broader Context and Upcoming Diplomacy
The inflammatory statements were delivered on Monday, 12 January 2026, as President Trump travelled from Florida to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The diplomatic fallout is set to be a central topic during a scheduled meeting on Wednesday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and ministers from Denmark and Greenland.
Amid the Greenland controversy, President Trump also mentioned he was "working on ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine," linking broader geopolitical concerns to his transactional view of international alliances. The situation leaves European allies grappling with the implications of a potential second Trump presidency for transatlantic security.
