Trump Floats Testing NATO Article 5 on U.S. Border as He Links Greenland 'Framework' to Tariff Threats
President Trump suggested on Truth Social that the U.S. "maybe should have put NATO to the test" by invoking Article 5 to have allies defend the southern border, and has tied a purported Davos "framework" with NATO chief Mark Rutte over Greenland to explicit tariff threats (initially 10% rising to 25% on eight European NATO countries) while saying he would waive tariffs for countries that cooperate or send forces. His Greenland push — in which he publicly said he "won't use force" but pressed for U.S. access and control — has spurred emergency NATO and European meetings, sharp allied rebukes and threats of retaliation, widespread U.S. polling opposition to military action, Danish and Greenlandic insistence that sovereignty is non‑negotiable, and Pentagon officials saying they have not been ordered to plan an invasion.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump publicly pressed to acquire Greenland — demanding “immediate negotiations” at Davos, at times threatening force (“You’ll find out”) but also saying there would be no use of military force in that speech; the Pentagon says it has not been directed to plan an invasion while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested military action could be possible if negotiations fail.
- Trump announced a claimed post‑Davos “framework” with NATO chief Mark Rutte focused on stepped‑up Arctic security and expanded U.S. military access in Greenland (Trump called it giving the U.S. “total access” and floated a ‘Golden Dome’ missile‑defense element), but NATO spokespeople, Denmark and Greenland insist sovereignty is not on the table and any expanded bases or rights require Danish and Greenlandic consent.
- He repeatedly threatened economic retaliation tied to Greenland: threatening 10% tariffs on goods from eight European NATO countries (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the U.K.), rising to 25% by June 1 if no deal is reached, while saying he would drop tariffs for countries that send troops or otherwise support U.S. objectives in Greenland.
- European leaders and institutions pushed back forcefully — convening emergency meetings and NATO chiefs meeting, with figures including Ursula von der Leyen, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Canada’s Mark Carney condemning the tariff threats and warning of retaliatory measures (EU officials even discussed a trade “bazooka”); France proposed NATO exercises in Greenland as a show of solidarity with Denmark.
- Public opinion and politics: multiple polls show low U.S. support for seizing Greenland or using force (Reuters/Ipsos: 17% approve of the U.S. effort; Quinnipiac: 86% of voters oppose military action), with sharp partisan divides (e.g., roughly 40% of Republicans vs. 2% of Democrats supportive in one poll).
- Markets and trade fallout: markets reacted to the dispute and tariff threats — the Dow fell about 1.8%, the S&P 500 about 2% and the Nasdaq about 2.4% in a single session — and EU officials warned the Greenland episode has jeopardized a negotiated U.S.–EU trade framework.
- Trump combined public and private pressure tactics: he posted screenshots of private texts with leaders, promoted an AI‑generated image of planting a U.S. flag on Greenland, invoked a personal grievance about the Nobel Peace Prize in messages, and even floated on social media testing NATO’s Article 5 by asking allies to defend the U.S. southern border to free Border Patrol resources.
- Status of negotiations: after Davos and a NATO meeting Trump announced an “ultimate long‑term” or “long‑term agreement” framework and said he would not immediately impose the previously threatened tariffs; reporters and officials say details remain unclear, trilateral U.S.–Denmark–Greenland talks will continue, and Denmark’s leaders continue to insist sovereignty is non‑negotiable.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (2)
What Davos really thinks of Trump
"The Politico piece reads as a Davos‑focused critique: international business and political elites are privately wary and publicly critical of Trump’s confrontational foreign‑policy and trade tactics (Greenland/tariffs, Venezuela/oil, AI export signals), even as they may pragmatically engage with his pro‑business measures — a mix of alarm about geopolitical risk and cautious commercial opportunism."
Trump’s ‘small ask’ for Greenland would be the real estate deal of a lifetime
"An opinion piece endorsing and reframing Trump’s Davos call to acquire Greenland as a shrewd, security‑driven real estate negotiation—using tough diplomatic and economic leverage rather than force—to bolster U.S. Arctic defenses."
📰 Source Timeline (23)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 23, 2026
6:49 AM
Trump says US should have tested NATO by invoking Article 5 over border security
New information:
- Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. 'maybe should have put NATO to the test' by invoking Article 5 to have allies defend the southern border from 'invasions of illegal immigrants,' which he says would free Border Patrol for other tasks.
- Fox details that Trump recently posted 'We will always be there for NATO, even if they won't be there for us,' framing allied support as one‑sided.
- The article reiterates Trump’s claim that after a Davos meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte he has a 'framework of a future deal regarding Greenland' and that, if finalized, it would be 'a great one' for the U.S. and NATO nations.
- It notes Trump said he would drop planned 10% tariffs on certain NATO countries that sent troops to Greenland, tying the threatened levies explicitly to their role in his Greenland push.
- Rutte, in a Fox interview, praises Trump as 'totally right' about Arctic security and credits him with pushing allies to a new 5% of GDP defense‑and‑security‑infrastructure target, up from the traditional 2% benchmark.
1:16 AM
Denmark and Greenland say sovereignty is not negotiable after Trump's meeting with Rutte
New information:
- Trump told Fox Business he had agreed with NATO chief Mark Rutte on a 'framework of a future deal' that would give the U.S. 'total access' and 'all the military access we want' in Greenland, including a 'Golden Dome' missile-defense element.
- NATO spokesperson Allison Hart explicitly stated that Rutte 'did not propose any compromise to sovereignty' in his talks with Trump and that NATO has no mandate to negotiate on Denmark and Greenland’s behalf.
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she has been in ongoing contact with Rutte and stressed 'we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty' while confirming she was informed that sovereignty was not on the table.
- Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said he had no concrete details of the supposed Trump–Rutte agreement and underscored that Greenland is willing to host more NATO presence but only through 'respectful dialogue through the right channels.'
- The article reiterates that the existing 1951 U.S.–Denmark defense treaty already grants broad base‑rights in Greenland, with any expansion requiring consent from Denmark and Greenland, not NATO.
January 22, 2026
1:44 PM
What's in Trump's "ultimate long-term deal" on Greenland?
New information:
- Trump, in his Davos speech, explicitly took U.S. military intervention to seize control of Greenland off the table.
- After a Davos meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said they agreed on an 'ultimate long‑term deal' framework that he called 'really fantastic for the USA' but did not detail.
- Rutte told Reuters the framework is about NATO stepping up Arctic security and did not involve Greenland’s mineral resources.
- A NATO spokesperson said the framework focuses on collective allied efforts to ensure Arctic security and that trilateral U.S.–Denmark–Greenland talks will continue to prevent Russian or Chinese footholds on the island.
- U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper floated that the framework could include a NATO 'Arctic Sentry' security partnership.
- Danish PM Mette Frederiksen issued a statement stressing Denmark will negotiate on security, investments and economy but not on sovereignty, and said NATO is fully aware of that position.
- Frederiksen linked Denmark’s willingness to cooperate to respect for territorial integrity and to Trump’s proposed 'Golden Dome' missile‑defense system in the Arctic.
- Finnish PM Petteri Orpo told CBS he believes Rutte de‑escalated the Greenland dispute, but emphasized that detailed U.S.–Denmark–Greenland negotiations over Greenland’s status and U.S. presence are still ongoing.
- Danish analyst Mikkel Runge Olesen told CBS the process is shifting from Trump’s impossible ownership demand to a more traditional negotiation over base rights, authority, and ground rules for likely increased U.S. presence.
1:19 PM
Denmark's prime minister insists sovereignty is non-negotiable as Trump announces Greenland deal 'framework'
New information:
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a formal statement saying Denmark is open to negotiating politics, security, investments and economy, but 'we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty' over Greenland.
- Frederiksen emphasized that 'only Denmark and Greenland themselves can make decisions on issues concerning Denmark and Greenland' and stressed that NATO is 'fully aware' of Denmark’s position.
- Trump’s exact Davos remark is quoted: 'I won't use force. All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,' clarifying that he publicly disavowed using military force while still pressing for control.
- Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen publicly welcomed Trump ruling out taking Greenland by force and pausing the 'trade war,' while calling for talks that address U.S. Arctic security concerns but respect Denmark’s 'red lines.'
12:06 PM
World leaders to hold emergency summit on Greenland. And, SCOTUS weighs Fed case
New information:
- NPR reports that after a NATO meeting, Trump announced a 'long-term agreement' on Greenland and said he would not impose the previously threatened tariffs on European countries in that region.
- Reporter Teri Schultz says Trump’s satisfaction with the compromise suggests it may involve some limited transfer of land ownership and U.S. mineral-rights access, though no details are public.
- European leaders are still holding an emergency summit on Greenland—now with less immediate tariff pressure—to discuss contingencies if the deal collapses and Trump revives threats.
- NPR frames Trump’s Greenland approach as having antagonized allies and notes unusually sharp, public friction with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over the broader 'world order' debate at Davos.
9:46 AM
Morning news brief
New information:
- European leaders are convening an emergency summit specifically focused on the U.S. and Greenland in response to Trump’s Greenland push and rhetoric.
- NPR’s brief explicitly characterizes Trump’s Greenland statements as threatening the 'long‑standing world order,' reflecting how European officials are framing the stakes.
- The brief packages this with the pending Supreme Court case on Trump’s power to fire Federal Reserve governors, underscoring that allies are watching U.S. institutional checks at the same time they react to Greenland talk.
January 21, 2026
5:57 PM
Live Updates: Trump Assails Europe and Demands Control of Greenland
New information:
- Detailed quotation of Trump’s assertion that the U.S. 'won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable,' followed immediately by his pledge not to use force.
- Explicit statement from Trump that 'you need the ownership to defend' Greenland and that he rejects any lease or license arrangement, asking rhetorically, 'Who the hell wants to defend a license agreement or a lease?'
- More granular reaction from a senior Danish lawmaker, Rasmus Jarlov, who says Denmark has 'heard a lot worse' from Trump but welcomes his ruling out military force while reaffirming that Denmark will not hand over Greenland.
- Additional description of Trump’s tone toward Europe at Davos — alternating between professed 'love' for Europe and deriding European countries as weak, unsightly, and dependent on the United States.
4:19 PM
Trump tells world leaders he "won't use force" to acquire Greenland
New information:
- CBS segment provides a tight, on-camera confirmation that at Davos Trump demanded 'immediate negotiations' to acquire Greenland and told world leaders he 'won't use force.'
- It emphasizes that the statement was delivered in a formal World Economic Forum address specifically 'addressing European allies as tensions rise over his Greenland demands.'
3:12 PM
Trump repeats Greenland demand in Davos speech while seeming to rule out using force to get it
New information:
- Article provides fuller verbatim quotes of Trump telling Davos attendees the U.S. could use 'excessive strength and force' to take Greenland and would be 'unstoppable' but saying he 'won’t do that.'
- It recounts Trump repeatedly describing Greenland as 'a giant piece of ice' and at times seeming to conflate it with Iceland.
- It quotes Trump warning NATO partners that if they refuse a U.S. takeover of Greenland, 'we will remember,' sharpening the implied threat to allies.
2:44 PM
Trump tells Davos US alone can secure Greenland, insists he won’t 'use force'
New information:
- From the Davos stage, Trump said 'All the United States is asking for is a place called Greenland,' describing the U.S. as the only nation capable of 'control and secure' the island.
- He claimed the U.S. had previously held Greenland 'as a trustee' after World War II and then 'respectfully returned it back to Denmark,' a historically dubious but newly stated justification for renewed claims.
- Trump said he 'won’t use force' to obtain Greenland, even while boasting the U.S. would be 'unstoppable' if he chose to use 'excessive strength and force.'
- He framed Greenland as 'our territory' in a geographic sense, calling the island 'part of North America on the northern frontier of the Western Hemisphere' and therefore a 'core national security interest of the United States.'
- He argued that U.S. control of Greenland would 'greatly enhance' NATO security and repeated complaints that the U.S. is 'treated very unfairly' by NATO while insisting he has 'done more to help NATO than any other president.'
2:13 PM
Trump rules out using military force to take Greenland
New information:
- Trump, in his Davos World Economic Forum speech, explicitly said: 'I don't want to use force. I won't use force' to take Greenland from Denmark.
- He called for 'immediate negotiations' to acquire Greenland, mocked Denmark for losing it 'in six hours' during World War II, and claimed only the U.S. can 'protect' and 'develop' the island.
- Trump escalated rhetorical attacks on Europe, saying some places are 'not even recognizable anymore,' blaming 'the largest wave of mass migration in human history,' and asserting that without the U.S. Europeans would 'all be speaking German and little Japanese.'
- He claimed 'inflation has been defeated' in the U.S. and touted 'the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in our country's history,' despite ongoing consumer pain over prices.
- He used the Davos stage to denounce the 'green new scam,' talk up oil, and brag he is 'taking down' windmills, in sharp contrast to the forum’s usual climate focus.
- The piece notes visible friction at Davos, including a reported European asset sell-off tied to his tariff threats and ECB chief Christine Lagarde walking out of a dinner during combative remarks by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
2:12 PM
Trump doubles down on Greenland push as polls show little public support
New information:
- Quinnipiac poll (Jan. 8–12) finds 86% of U.S. voters oppose military action to take over Greenland, including 95% of Democrats, 94% of independents and 68% of Republicans.
- CNN poll conducted during the same period finds 75% of Americans oppose a U.S. takeover of Greenland; 94% of Democrats and 80% of independents oppose, while Republicans split 50–50.
- A separate CBS News poll (Jan. 14–16) finds only 14% of Americans would approve using military force to take the island.
- Quinnipiac also reports voters oppose any U.S. effort to buy Greenland by a 55%–37% margin, with most Democrats and nearly six in 10 independents opposed, and more than two‑thirds of Republicans supporting a purchase.
- Trump doubled down at a White House news conference, saying there is 'no going back' on his efforts to take over Greenland and, when asked how far he would go, replied, 'You'll find out.'
12:11 PM
What to expect from Trump's Davos speech. And, the DOJ subpoenas Minnesota officials
New information:
- NPR frames Trump’s Davos appearance as officially focused on affordability and domestic economic issues but notes his Greenland acquisition push and tariff threats are overshadowing the summit.
- Reporter Danielle Kurtzleben characterizes Trump’s second‑term foreign policy as 'belligerent,' alienating allies and lacking domestic popularity, and says these actions and aggressive ICE tactics in Minnesota are distracting from his desired economic message.
11:22 AM
The week the world cracked open at Davos
New information:
- Axios reports that at Davos Trump is expected to directly demand that Denmark hand Greenland over to the U.S., with punitive tariffs threatened against nations that oppose him, and he wrote on Truth Social: 'Greenland is imperative for National and World Security. There can be no going back — On that, everyone agrees!'
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used his Davos keynote to declare that the U.S.‑led 'rules‑based order' under Trump is now 'a pleasant fiction' and that 'this bargain no longer works,' a sharp public break by a core U.S. ally.
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei publicly criticized Trump’s decision to allow sales of advanced AI chips to China as having 'incredible national security implications' and said it is 'crazy. It's a bit like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea.'
- Amodei also sketched a 'nightmare' AI scenario in which roughly 10 million people—about 7 million in Silicon Valley and the rest elsewhere—'decouple' from society and enjoy up to 50% GDP growth while the broader population is left behind.
- Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis told Davos attendees that the path to human‑level artificial general intelligence is becoming clearer, with only some 'missing ingredients' still to be found.
11:12 AM
Trump to address Davos as allies push back against his bid for Greenland
New information:
- Air Force One was forced to return to Joint Base Andrews on Monday night because of what the White House called a 'minor electrical issue'; Trump then boarded a different plane and re‑departed for Davos shortly after midnight.
- Following Trump’s renewed threat to impose 10% tariffs on eight European NATO allies over their stance on Greenland, the Dow fell 1.8%, the S&P 500 2%, and the Nasdaq 2.4%, the worst day for all three indexes since October.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly called Trump’s tariff threat a 'mistake' that risks sending U.S.–EU relations into a 'downward spiral.'
- Trump intensified his Greenland rhetoric at a one‑year press conference, refusing to say how far he would go to acquire the island ('You’ll find out') and again refusing to rule out military force.
- Trump questioned whether NATO allies would honor Article 5 and come to America’s defense, while claiming he has 'done more for NATO than any other person alive or dead' and saying 'NATO has to treat us fairly, too.'
- The White House promoted an AI‑generated image of Trump planting an American flag on Greenland alongside Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- French President Emmanuel Macron used his Davos remarks to warn that 'imperial ambitions are resurfacing' and alluded to Trump’s claims about having 'settled' multiple wars, implicitly criticizing U.S. behavior without naming Trump.
11:00 AM
Davos braces for Trump amid tensions over NATO, Greenland and global defense
New information:
- Confirms specific list of targeted countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
- Restates tariff schedule as 10% on those countries’ goods beginning Feb. 1, rising to 25% by June 1 if no Greenland deal is reached.
- Adds on-the-record pushback from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at Davos, stressing that the 2025 U.S.–EU trade framework fixing a 15% tariff level is 'a deal' that must be honored.
- Includes public remarks from Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen in Nuuk stressing 'territorial integrity' and warning that ignoring it will make a 'good and reliable partnership' with the U.S. difficult.
- Notes Trump is expected to hold a Davos signing ceremony for the Gaza Board of Peace, tying his Greenland and NATO tensions to his Gaza diplomacy track.
10:05 AM
NATO brass meet for ‘frank’ talks amid the Greenland feud.
New information:
- NATO’s 32 chiefs of defense are meeting in Brussels for what Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone called a 'detailed, frank discussion' amid President Trump’s threats to take Greenland from Denmark.
- France has proposed that NATO hold a military exercise in Greenland and has said it is 'ready to contribute' forces to such a drill.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told a Davos panel he is working 'behind the scenes' to defuse the Greenland furor and said only 'thoughtful diplomacy' can address it.
- EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said on social media that a previously negotiated U.S.–EU trade deal has been 'blown up' by the Greenland situation, and he met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Davos to urge avoiding a 'downward spiral in trade.'
- European analysts quoted warn openly that the Greenland dispute could push European states toward 'mini‑lateral' defense arrangements outside NATO and frame the U.S.–NATO relationship as heading toward either a 'cooperative' or 'hostile' divorce.
10:00 AM
Trump heads to Davos after upending European relations over Greenland
New information:
- Trump recently threatened on social media to impose tariffs on goods from eight European NATO nations unless they support a U.S. deal to purchase Greenland, prompting a joint statement from those countries backing Denmark and Greenland’s right to decide Greenland’s future.
- Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr disclosed text messages in which Trump linked his pursuit of Greenland partly to resentment over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, even though the Norwegian government does not award it.
- Trump publicly posted screenshots of text messages from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron: Rutte praised Trump’s Syria strikes and said he was 'committed to finding a way forward on Greenland,' while Macron told Trump 'I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland' but proposed dinner at Davos.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, pressed on how Washington can 'justify taking over a country' that rejects the idea, answered at Davos that Trump believes Greenland 'must be part of the US to prevent a conflict' and described it as increasingly attractive 'for foreign conquest.'
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a pointed Davos speech warning that great powers are weaponizing economic ties—tariffs, financial infrastructure and supply chains—and explicitly declared that Canada 'stands firmly with Greenland and Denmark,' opposes tariffs over Greenland and reaffirms NATO Article 5.
- On the eve of his Davos address, Trump slightly softened rhetoric by telling reporters that his Greenland push would lead to 'something... very good for everybody,' even as he reposted a social‑media message portraying the U.N. and NATO, rather than China or Russia, as the 'real threat' to the U.S.
January 20, 2026
10:54 PM
Pentagon Hasn’t Yet Been Asked to Plan Greenland Invasion Amid Trump Threats
New information:
- Pentagon officials say they have not been directed to plan for an invasion of Greenland or for post‑invasion occupation, despite Trump’s repeated public threats to seize the island 'the hard way.'
- At a Jan. 20, 2026 White House news conference, when asked how far he is willing to go to acquire Greenland, Trump replied, 'You’ll find out,' after previously vowing to obtain it 'whether they like it or not.'
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC’s 'Meet the Press' that Greenland could be taken by U.S. military force if negotiations with Denmark fail.
- European nations have sent personnel to Greenland for military exercises as a show of solidarity with Denmark, potentially further angering Trump, who has threatened tariffs on them over their opposition to a U.S. acquisition.
- Current and former senior U.S. officials and analysts, including former NATO ambassador Ivo Daalder, are warning that even threatening to attack Greenland, a Danish territory, raises unprecedented questions about whether the U.S. might use force against NATO allies and could rupture the alliance.
January 19, 2026
7:37 PM
Trump warns US can no longer think ‘purely of peace’ as he pushes for Greenland control
New information:
- Supplies direct, private quotes from Trump that pollsters and analysts can now measure public reaction to, particularly his line that the world is not secure absent U.S. 'Complete and Total Control of Greenland.'
- Reveals that Trump is not just talking tariffs publicly but pressing NATO allies in private texts to treat Greenland’s status as something the alliance owes the United States.
- Adds the Nobel‑Peace‑Prize grievance as an explicit driver in his own framing of this fight, which was not in the polling write‑up.
3:43 PM
White House urges 'cooler heads to prevail' as EU fires back on Trump tariffs over Greenland
New information:
- Kevin Hassett publicly characterizes Trump’s tariff threats as part of 'strong extreme positions' in negotiation and urges 'cooler heads to prevail' and to 'disregard the rhetoric' while a deal is sought.
- The article quantifies Trump’s immediate tariff threat as 10% on imports from Denmark and seven other European countries, rising to 25% on June 1 if no Greenland agreement is reached.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer explicitly condemns using tariffs on allies and insists Greenland’s status is solely for Greenlanders and Denmark to decide, reinforcing European political resistance.
- Danish PM Mette Frederiksen and other EU leaders jointly warn that Trump’s tariff plan risks a 'dangerous downward spiral' and could undermine transatlantic relations, and they signal readiness for retaliatory measures.
- EU institutions are reported to be considering deploying a trade 'bazooka' – significant retaliatory tariffs – directly in response to Trump’s proposed duties.
January 14, 2026
3:53 PM
Only 1 in 5 Americans support US effort to acquire Greenland, poll finds
New information:
- Reuters/Ipsos poll finds only 17% of U.S. adults approve of the Trump administration’s efforts to acquire Greenland.
- Support is sharply partisan: 40% of Republicans approve versus just 2% of Democrats.
- 71% of adults — including 60% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats — say using U.S. military force to seize Greenland would not be a good idea.
- 66% of Americans believe U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland could hurt relations with NATO and European countries.
- Poll details: online survey of 1,217 adults from Jan. 12–13 with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.