Many right-wing media figures backed President Donald Trump’s vow to take control of Greenland, a move that threatened the NATO alliance formed after World War II, telling Denmark to “just sell us Greenland” and arguing that it’s “worth talking about” taking Greenland by force because “that's the only way that America exists in the first place.” Some in conservative print media outlets came out against Trump’s threats, suggesting that some of his tactics were “dangerous,” calling it “Trump’s lesson in how to turn U.S. allies into China’s friends,” and asserting that his “foreign policy needs to distinguish between friend and foe.”

Trump has said acquiring Greenland is critical to U.S. national security and recently threatened a trade war with Europe. The Associated Press reported that “President Donald Trump’s pledge to provoke a sweeping tariff fight with Europe to get his way in taking control of Greenland has left many of America’s closest allies warning of a rupture with Washington capable of shuttering the NATO alliance that had once seemed unshakable.” On January 21, Trump for the first time ruled out using force to acquire Greenland, saying at the World Economic Forum in Davos that “I don’t have to use force, I don’t want to use force, I won’t use force.” Trump later further softened his position, posting on Truth Social that he would not enact tariffs and that he had agreed with the head of NATO on a “framework of a future deal” on Arctic security. [CBS News, 1/21/26; The Associated Press, 1/20/26, 1/21/26]

Trump has repeatedly brushed off NATO allies who have offered diplomatic solutions meant to address his alleged security concerns but do not include U.S. annexation of Greenland. As The New York Times noted, Trump “has shown no interest so far in looking for diplomatic offramps, or the kind of defense partnerships that NATO has long fostered. Every time the Europeans offer solutions — everything short of outright American ownership of the Danish territory — Mr. Trump turns them aside.” [The New York Times, 1/19/26]

Even some Republicans have criticized Trump’s actions involving Greenland. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) condemned Trump’s tariff threat, criticizing the “advisors who are actively pushing for coercive action to seize” Greenland and calling the move “beyond stupid.” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) called Trump’s tariffs “unnecessary, punitive, and a profound mistake,” adding, “They will push our core European allies further away while doing nothing to advance U.S. national security.” [Time, 1/19/26]

  • nosuchanon@lemmy.world
    71·
    20 days ago

    I still don’t understand how the US population doesn’t revolt since their elected leaders are taxing the fuck out of them across the board. What happened to no taxation without representation? Oh I forgot, Congress only represents the oligarchs and they know they have everyone by the balls and people are too reliant on their products to have any meaningful choices anyway.