In a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions, former US President Donald Trump has forcefully reiterated his administration's determination to bring Greenland under American control, directly linking the issue to the future of US support for Ukraine.
A Direct Threat and a Security Ultimatum
The renewed push comes just hours after European leaders began coordinating a response to new US tariffs. Overnight on Monday, 19 January 2026, Trump took to social media, stating: “Nato has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.’ Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
His Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, echoed this aggressive stance in an interview with NBC, asserting that “Europeans project weakness, US projects strength.” Bessent explicitly stated the administration's position, saying, “The president believes enhanced security is not possible without Greenland being part of the US.”
Linking Greenland to Ukraine's Fate
The situation escalated further as Bessent appeared to condition ongoing American support for Ukraine on the Greenland issue. He warned European leaders, “They will understand that they need to be under the US security umbrella. What would happen in Ukraine if the US pulled its support out? The whole thing would collapse.”
This move places immense pressure on European capitals, forcing them to consider the stark trade-off between Arctic sovereignty and continued military aid for Kyiv. The issue is set to dominate the news agenda today, with European officials coordinating their next steps ahead of an extraordinary EU summit expected on Thursday.
Diplomatic Fallout and an Explosive Letter
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scheduled to hold a special emergency press conference this morning to address the crisis. Later today, the Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, a close Trump ally.
However, even Rutte struck an unusually terse tone following a Sunday night call with Trump, merely confirming they had spoken about “the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic.”
Perhaps the most revealing development was the confirmation of a letter Trump sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. In it, Trump wrote, “considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.” He added that while peace would “always be predominant,” he could now “think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
The letter, whose authenticity was confirmed by the Norwegian PM to VG newspaper, then doubled down on the Greenland threat, questioning Denmark's historical claim and stating, “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”
As the international community braces for a volatile day, the confrontation over Greenland has become a flashpoint with potential ramifications for transatlantic relations and global security architecture.
