President Donald Trump ignited an international firestorm on Thursday after suggesting that “NATO might have to get involved” to support a U.S. invasion of Greenland for the sake of “international security.” His remarks also called into question Denmark’s sovereignty over the autonomous territory.
The statement—part of an ongoing series of threats about a U.S.-led takeover of Greenland—came as Trump spoke to reporters in the Oval Office while seated next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “Denmark is very far away,” Trump said Thursday. “A boat landed there 200 years ago or something. They say they have rights to it. I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think it is, actually.”
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He later appeared to joke with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Greenland, saying, “Maybe we’ll see more and more soldiers go there, I don’t know—what do you think about that, Pete? Don’t answer that, Pete,” as he and others in the room chuckled.
The remarks sparked swift international condemnation, including from Rasmus Jarlov, a member of Denmark’s parliament and chair of the country’s Defense Committee. “We do not appreciate the Secr. Gen. of NATO joking with Trump about Greenland like this,” Jarlov wrote on X shortly after the comments.
“It would mean war between two NATO countries. Greenland has just voted against immediate independence from Denmark and does not want to be American ever.” The bizarre escalation also provoked alarm from political commentators and legal experts. “How is this real life?” asked novelist and political journalist Molly Jong-Fast on Bluesky.
Attorney and longtime political observer David Lurie warned on Bluesky: “Trump is now threatening [to] pull a Crimea on Greenland. He may do a joint invasion with Vlad Putin.” X user Akash Maniam, who frequently posts about Ukraine disinformation, responded, “The US annexing Greenland involves two NATO states. Ridiculous.”
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He later added: “Imperialism 101—deny the sovereignty & value of others while claiming the absolute necessity of annexing them.” Writer and prominent anti-Trump conservative Tom Nichols reminded his Bluesky followers that the president: “Holds the codes to… well, you know.”
Political activist and attorney Will Stancil weighed in, writing: “There’s been a lot of debate over whether Trump means this as a threat or it’s a troll. But the actual answer is it’s both. He dropped it as a throwaway line but his clinical narcissism does not allow him to believe any idea of his is less than perfect and brilliant, so he’s become committed to it.” The controversy underscores growing global concerns over Trump’s rhetoric and the potential implications of his foreign policy musings.
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