Trump Demands U.S. Control of Greenland as NATO Unveils Billions in Arms in Ankara

President Donald Trump renewed tensions in Europe by saying Greenland “should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark” during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

“Trump reiterates at NATO summit that Greenland should be controlled by US, not Denmark ANKARA, Turkey, July 7 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Greenland should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark, reaffirming a stance that has caused tensions among NATO allies just as leaders of the alliance gathered for a summit in Turkey”

Al-Monitor

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she expected allies to respect the sovereignty of the Danish kingdom and accept that Greenland was not for sale, while Greenland’s Foreign Minister Mute Egede said on Facebook that “Greenland's future should be decided by its people.”

Al-Monitor

The issue has moved to a diplomatic track, with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio saying in June that conversations with Denmark and Greenland were continuing on a monthly basis.

In parallel, NATO leaders gathered in Ankara as the alliance unveiled plans for tens of billions of dollars in new aircraft and drones, aiming to showcase firepower as Trump again demanded Greenland.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded on the principle that its 32 members will defend one another’s territory and not threaten to seize it, a framing that Reuters and other coverage tied directly to the Greenland dispute.

As NATO leaders met in Ankara, Mark Rutte called for allies to present “clear, concrete and credible plans” to reach the organisation’s spending targets, with NATO members preparing to unveil tens of billions of new arms contracts at an industry forum.

Rutte also said allies were aiming to commit a largely symbolic €70bn (£60bn) in military aid to Ukraine this year and next, while the Guardian described the summit as a bid to mollify an unpredictable Trump.

Associated Press

The Guardian reported that Trump posted a graphic on Truth Social comparing a vast US spend of $999bn (£747bn) with smaller figures from European states including the UK and France, and wrote that the relationship was “not reciprocal.”

In the same Ankara setting, the Los Angeles Times said NATO rolled out plans for tens of billions of dollars in new aircraft and drones to answer Trump’s “paper tiger” criticism, while also highlighting rifts in the alliance over Europe’s defense burden and Ukraine’s long-delayed membership bid.

Meanwhile, the Reuters account of the Greenland comments placed the dispute alongside NATO’s broader tensions, with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte and European leaders working to address Trump’s complaints about spending.

Russia’s response to the Greenland dispute included Kremlin spokeswoman María Zajarova calling Trump’s accusations “inaceptables,” and warning that any attempt to “ignorar los intereses de Rusia en el Ártico no quedará sin respuesta.”

“Europa se prepara ante las amenazas del presidente de los Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, de comprar Groenlandia a Dinamarca y romper para siempre la confianza con sus socios de la OTAN, que ven en las palabras del republicano una amenaza real para la estabilidad de todo el continente”

Cadena SER

The Cadena SER account also said Dmitri Medvedev mocked France and asked what it would do against the United States to protect Denmark, including whether it would “bombardearles con armas nucleares.”

In Europe, the RTVE.es report said the Greenland crisis divides NATO and forces the European Union to find its path, quoting retired Admiral Juan Rodríguez Garat that “The Ukraine war depends greatly on solidarity among the allies. And this erodes the already difficult situation Europe faces with Trump in the Ukraine war.”

RTVE.es also quoted Domènec Ruiz, CIDOB researcher in Brussels, saying the crisis could be “a lever to pressure Europe regarding its stance on defending Greenland,” and that Trump could withdraw support for Ukraine if Europe maintains a firmer position on the Greenland issue.

The same RTVE.es piece framed the stakes for Ukraine as tied to European capacity, noting that by 2026 “the total does not exceed $400 million,” and adding that the European Union has already approved a loan of €90 billion for Kyiv, with two-thirds used to buy weapons.