Trump’s Letter to Norway Signals a Hard US Shift on Greenland

Donald Trump’s message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre marks a change in the US approach to security and territorial control in the Arctic. The wording of the letter indicates a departure from the previous logic of allied obligations in favor of a direct calculation of US national interests.

The context is a long-standing dispute over the status of Greenland and its role in the system of transatlantic security. Formally, the island remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark, while enjoying broad autonomy. The United States has historically maintained a presence in Greenland through military infrastructure and views the region as a key element of control over Arctic routes and the northern Atlantic.

In the letter, Trump directly questions the legitimacy of Danish sovereignty over the island, arguing that Copenhagen lacks documentary grounds for “ownership rights”. At the same time, he links NATO security to the need for full US control over Greenland, effectively shifting the issue from allied consultations to a format of unilateral demands.

Washington’s motivation is tied to growing competition in the Arctic and concerns over the activities of Russia and China. In Trump’s logic, control over Greenland is seen as a condition for preventing threats, as well as compensation for the US contribution to the existence and expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The consequences of such a position may affect US relations with European allies, primarily Denmark and the countries of Northern Europe. Harsh rhetoric undermines the principles of collective security and increases uncertainty about NATO’s future. It remains unclear whether this line will translate into concrete political or military steps, or remain a tool of pressure in negotiations.