What will Trump’s Greenland obsession mean for the future of NATO?

Published January 21, 2026 6:00am ET



President Donald Trump refused to say on Monday whether he would use military force to acquire Greenland from Denmark, the latter of which is a NATO ally that fought alongside U.S. forces in the Middle East following 9/11.

The president’s recent musings about acquiring Greenland, and his refusal to rule out military action, pose significant questions and challenges to the NATO alliance, which has been the preeminent Western alliance since the end of World War II.

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