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Donald Trump demands US control of Greenland, threatens European troop pullout at NATO summit
At the NATO summit in Ankara, President Donald Trump repeatedly asserted that Greenland "should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark." He argued that Denmark does not spend money to help the Arctic territory and that the island’s strategic location makes it important for U.S. security, noting that it is surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships. Trump warned that the dispute "hurt my relationship with NATO" and added that the United States could "remove all of our soldiers out of Europe" if allies do not align with his position, saying Europe is "a very different place than it was 20 years ago" and urging caution on immigration and energy.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded that Greenland is not for sale, reaffirming Denmark’s readiness to defend every inch of its NATO territory and emphasizing respect for the island’s self‑determination. She also highlighted Denmark’s compliance with NATO’s defense‑spending target.
Trump also criticized NATO allies for what he called a lack of support in the recent U.S. operation against Iran, describing the alliance as "disappointed" and suggesting further troop reductions could follow. NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte attempted to downplay the remarks, but the president’s statements dominated the summit’s press coverage.