‘Enough Is Enough’: Ex-NATO chief slams Trump’s Greenland threats, calls for EU economic retaliation

A former NATO chief says Washington’s bullying over Greenland demands a hard European response, slamming US President Donald Trump for exploiting alliances while ignoring decades of sacrifice by "loyal" partners.

Writing in the Economist on Tuesday, former Danish prime minister and ex–NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen urged Europe to take a firmer line against Trump’s “hostile outbursts” over Greenland, while still offering an off-ramp through economic and security arrangements.

“On 52 occasions between 2002 and 2021, the flag-draped coffins of Denmark’s sons and daughters returned home from Afghanistan and Iraq, where those fallen soldiers had given their lives fighting side-by-side with the US,” Rasmussen said, reminding readers of Denmark’s deep military loyalty to Washington.

“Denmark suffered more casualties relative to its population than any other member of the American-led coalition except Georgia—more even than America itself,” he noted.

Trump wants to take control of Greenland because of its strategic military location in the Arctic, its growing importance in great-power competition with Russia and China, and its vast untapped natural resources, including rare earth minerals.

The American president also views control of Greenland as a way to project American power and secure long-term geopolitical leverage, assuming that US economic and military dominance can override European unity and Danish sovereignty.

Trump has already vowed to impose a 10 percent tariff on imports from eight European nations, including Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland from February 1 unless they drop their opposition to US control of Greenland. The tariff is set to rise to 25 percent in June if no deal is reached.

In response, the European Union said it was preparing a major package of financial countermeasures against the US in response to Washington’s threats against the bloc over Greenland.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Rasmussen said he had long “admired America”, but that he broke sharply with Washington’s current posture.

“As prime minister of Denmark and secretary-general of NATO, I considered America to be the natural leader of the free world. But in watching President Donald Trump’s hostile outbursts against one of America’s most loyal allies, I must now conclude that enough is enough,” he noted.

Rasmussen also stressed that Greenland poses no threat to the US and is already shielded by the alliance, adding, “If Russia or China were to seek to land forces in Greenland, they would be met by the combined might of NATO allies, not Danish forces alone.”

Under the 1951 US–Denmark security agreement, Rasmussen noted, American forces already have the right to expand their presence on the island, and economic cooperation could be encouraged.

“If American companies would like to invest more in Greenland’s resources … they would be welcomed,” he wrote. Yet he warned that normal diplomacy may fail with Trump, arguing, “Mr. Trump would like to annex Greenland because he believes that he can … He believes that Europe is divided and feckless, and that when push comes to shove, we will cling to our statements of profound disagreement as we give him what he wants.”

Greenland, world’s largest island, is a self-governing territory with its own parliament and government, responsible for most domestic affairs. However, Denmark retains control over foreign policy, defense, and monetary policy, and represents Greenland internationally.

Greenlanders are Danish citizens, but the territory has the right to self-determination and can choose independence through a democratic process.

Rasmussen further called for uncompromising action if Washington challenges Greenland’s sovereignty.

“Should the Trump administration attempt to change a sovereign European border, America must face the full force of the EU economic ‘bazooka’—with massive import and export restrictions and the cutting off of American companies from European public procurement,” he stressed.

Rasmussen also urged Europe to act quickly.

“We must draw an impassable line in the snow of Greenland … We must rapidly move to expand our trading relations…to de-risk ourselves from the whims of Washington. Europe is left, then, with a choice. We can either play Trump’s game of strength—or be forced to suffer what we must,” he further emphasized.

Trump lashes out at allies over Greenland, shares private texts online

Donald Trump has used a series of social media posts to attack US allies for resisting his push to take control of Greenland.

NATO faces ‘deep crisis’ over Greenland: Russia

Separately on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Trump’s bid for Greenland a “deep crisis” for NATO, warning that it could create a scenario in which “one NATO member is going to attack another NATO member.”

Speaking at an annual news conference on Moscow’s foreign policy priorities, Russia’s top diplomat stressed that Trump’s actions upend the Western concept of the “rule-based global order” and discredit the Euro-Atlantic model of security and cooperation.

“Now it’s not the Collective West writing the rules but just one its representative. It’s a major upheaval for Europe, and we are watching it. The Euro-Atlantic concept of ensuring security and cooperation has discredited itself,” Lavrov said,

He also strongly denied Trump’s claims that Russia and China have any intentions to threaten the Arctic island. “We have no relation to that. We are certainly watching this serious geopolitical situation and will make our conclusions when it’s settled.”

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