Trump Vows U.S. Must Take Control of Greenland, Dismissing NATO Opposition

By Eric Mack | Tuesday, 20 January 2026 10:42 AM EST

President Donald Trump has declared his commitment to U.S. control of Greenland, dismissing objections from NATO allies and European leaders.

Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at Palm Beach International Airport on Monday night after attending the College Football Playoff national championship in Miami, Trump stated, “We have to have it. They have to have this done.”

Trump reiterated his claim that Denmark’s historical stake in Greenland is invalid because Danish officials did not establish a permanent presence there “500 years ago,” adding, “Because the boat went there 500 years ago and then left, that doesn’t give you title to the property.”

He argued that NATO’s effectiveness relies on Greenland and U.S. military strength to counter Russian and Chinese threats. “I’ve done more for NATO than anybody else,” Trump told reporters. “I don’t think you’d have NATO right now. I got them to go 5% [of their GDP toward defense spending] and pay as opposed to 2% and not pay.”

Trump also clarified that the Arctic Endurance military exercises are designed to counter Russian threats, not U.S. invasions. “They say they sent them not for me but to guard against Russia,” he said during a brief media appearance before boarding Air Force One. “But NATO has been warning Denmark for about 20 years now — longer than that, 25 years.”

Trump emphasized ongoing threats: “They’ve been warning Denmark about the Russian threat, and it’s not only Russia, it’s also China.” Ending his remarks, he noted his upcoming engagement with global leaders at Davos: “I think I have a lot of messages for Davos.”