US President Donald Trump has revived his controversial push for Washington to take control of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory in the Arctic, just as NATO allies gathered in Ankara for the annual summit. Speaking shortly after landing in the Turkish capital, Trump told reporters that Denmark has failed to invest adequately in Greenland's security, leaving it exposed to Chinese and Russian naval activity.
“Greenland doesn’t help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money to really help Greenland, but it’s an important part for the United States, and it’s surrounded by China’s ships and Russian ships,” Trump said. The remarks mark a return to a position he first staked out in January, when he refused to rule out military force to acquire the island.
The timing of Trump’s intervention undercut months of diplomatic efforts by European allies to persuade him to drop the demand. It also overshadowed the summit’s main agenda: a pledge by Canada and European allies of around €50 billion in new defence investments under the banner of “NATO 3.0”. The alliance had hoped to project unity and highlight record spending on collective security.
Trump’s Broader Grievances with NATO
Within an hour of landing, Trump also lashed out at allies for not joining the US in its military action against Iran alongside Israel last February. “I’m very disappointed with NATO,” he said, repeating his claim that Europe and Canada had “abandoned” the US during that operation. “I say that’s fine, but you would think that they’d be very willing to do something to help us, and they really weren’t.”
The US president’s criticism extended to the summit’s host, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, though in more flattering terms. “Frankly, if it weren’t held in Turkey, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, a very strong person, it’s possible that I wouldn’t have attended,” Trump said. “I felt I had to attend because of the fact that, you know, I know he’s gone all out.”
Erdoğan welcomed Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Palace with full military honours, including cannon fire, a military band, and a guard of honour. Trump praised Erdoğan as a “great friend” and a “leader respected all over the world”. The warmth contrasted sharply with Trump’s dismissive tone toward other NATO members.
F-35 Programme and Turkish Ambitions
Trump also hinted at a possible reversal of Turkey’s exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet programme, which was suspended after Ankara purchased Russian S-400 missile systems. “That’s a decision we’re going to make… it’s a great plane, the best plane by far, and it’s certainly something we will consider,” Trump told reporters. The move could further strain relations with other NATO allies, who view Turkey’s Russian ties with suspicion.
The Greenland controversy is likely to dominate headlines, but it is only one of several flashpoints between Washington and European capitals. Trump’s repeated attacks on allied defence spending and his transactional approach to diplomacy have tested the cohesion of the alliance. For Copenhagen, the renewed pressure on Greenland—a territory with significant mineral and strategic value—represents a direct challenge to Danish sovereignty.
European leaders are now left to navigate a summit that was meant to showcase unity but has instead exposed deep divisions. The NATO Summit in Ankara continues with discussions on defence spending and regional security, but Trump’s Greenland gambit has already shifted the focus.
