US threats over Greenland spark controversy within NATO

*Europe rejects military rhetoric as Washington floats use of force against Denmark

*Fear of Western implosion as leaders say US planned offensive on Greenland control is one NATO member threatening another 

By BASHIR ADEFAKA with Agencies

Greenland, the world’s largest island with a population of about 57,000, has repeatedly stated it does not wish to become part of the United States. Strategically located between Europe and North America, it hosts the US Pituffik Space Base and possesses significant mineral resources.

Tensions within the Western alliance have escalated sharply after the United States signalled it could use military force to seize control of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark and a fellow NATO member.

European leaders have warned that any such action would undermine the alliance and violate fundamental principles of international law, as one NATO member threatening to attack another signals implosion.

The controversy follows a series of aggressive foreign policy moves by US President Donald Trump, including a recent overnight military operation in Caracas that resulted in the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Emboldened by that operation, Trump has now turned his focus to Greenland, citing US national security concerns in the Arctic.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the White House said the president views the acquisition of Greenland as a strategic priority, arguing it is necessary to deter adversaries in the Arctic region.

“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal,” the statement said. “Utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.”

The remarks triggered an immediate backlash across Europe. Leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in issuing a joint statement affirming that Greenland “belongs to its people” and that only Denmark and Greenland can decide the island’s future.

“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” the statement said.

Canada also voiced support for Denmark and Greenland. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Governor General Mary Simon, who is of Inuit descent, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand would visit Greenland early next month in a show of solidarity.

Nordic foreign ministers from Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark echoed the position, reaffirming Greenland’s right to self-determination while noting increased regional investments in Arctic security. They said they were open to further cooperation with the US within NATO frameworks.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that threats against a NATO member jeopardise the alliance’s credibility. “No member should attack or threaten another member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Otherwise, NATO would lose its meaning,” he said.

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen welcomed the European support and renewed calls for a “respectful dialogue” with Washington.

Denmark rejected US claims that it lacks the capacity to protect Greenland. Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen dismissed assertions that the island is dominated by Chinese investment or naval activity, adding that the US remains welcome to invest economically in Greenland.

Greenland’s government confirmed it had requested an urgent meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside Rasmussen, to address the escalating rhetoric.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, whom Trump recently appointed as US special envoy to Greenland, said he had no intention of engaging with Danish or European officials. Instead, he said he wanted to speak directly with Greenlanders about economic opportunities.

“I want to talk to people who want an opportunity to improve the quality of life in Greenland,” Landry said in an interview with Fox News radio.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Rubio told US lawmakers during a congressional briefing that the administration’s threats did not indicate an imminent invasion, and that Washington’s stated goal remains purchasing the island from Denmark. According to the report, officials described the rhetoric as a pressure tactic aimed at forcing negotiations.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller dismissed concerns about Danish sovereignty in a CNN interview, arguing that global politics is governed by power rather than diplomacy.

“We live in a world that is governed by strength, force and power,” Miller said, adding that “nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.”

Several members of Congress, including Republicans, pushed back. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, said the US must respect Denmark’s sovereignty and honour its treaty obligations.

Greenland, the world’s largest island with a population of about 57,000, has repeatedly stated it does not wish to become part of the United States. Strategically located between Europe and North America, it hosts the US Pituffik Space Base and possesses significant mineral resources.

Analysts warned that a US attempt to seize Greenland would represent a fundamental shift in post–World War II international norms.

“Our policy since the end of World War II has been that countries determine their own fate,” said Melinda Haring, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. “A takeover would undermine NATO and return the world to a system where might makes right.”

She added that such a move would render US foreign policy “incoherent” and destabilise the Western alliance at a critical moment.