WASHINGTON — President Trump’s weekend remarks and reported directives on Greenland are setting off alarms in Washington and across Europe, with allies warning of major diplomatic fallout even as U.S. military leaders quietly urge restraint.
Trump has revived his push to bring Greenland under U.S. control, arguing the United States “needs” the Arctic territory for national security and pointing to Russian and Chinese ambitions in the region. While the White House insists negotiations remain the preferred path, officials have also said military force is “always an option.”
Multiple reports say Trump has asked the Pentagon to outline exploratory contingency plans for a potential takeover. The scenarios are part of routine “what-if” planning and have not been approved by Congress, but senior military leaders reportedly view the idea as legally questionable and incompatible with NATO commitments.
At the same time, a vocal group of advisers, led by Stephen Miller, is pushing for tougher policy approaches following a high-profile U.S. special forces operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
European leaders have reacted sharply. Denmark and Greenland have flatly rejected any notion of ceding territory, stressing sovereignty and NATO’s collective defense obligations. Diplomats have dismissed the talk as provocative and destabilizing, warning that a hostile move would threaten NATO itself and spark a wider crisis among Western democracies.
The Daily Mail continues:
According to the sources, the President has asked the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to prepare the invasion plan, but it is being resisted by the joint chiefs of staff on the grounds that it would be illegal — and would not be supported by Congress.
One source said: ‘They have tried to distract Trump by talking about less controversial measures, such as intercepting Russian ‘ghost’ ships – a clandestine network of hundreds of vessels operated by Moscow to evade Western sanctions – or launching a strike on Iran.’
Diplomats have war-gamed what they describe as an ‘escalatory scenario’ under which Trump uses force or ‘political coercion’ to sever Greenland’s links to Denmark.
One diplomatic cable describes the ‘worst-case’ scenario as leading to ‘the destruction of Nato from the inside’.
Trump continues to receive briefings on potential responses to Iran’s unrest, where authorities violently cracked down on nationwide protests over the weekend. Advisers have outlined options that reportedly include military action, though no decisions have been finalized.
The protests erupted in late December 2025 after the Iranian rial collapsed and economic conditions deteriorated. Human rights groups say hundreds have been killed and thousands arrested.
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The US is not going to seize Greenland in any hostile action. We will work to convince the necessity of our becoming the Protector by changing minds and standing ready to act when Political Acquiescence occurs.