NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte struck a markedly different tone from several European leaders over President Donald Trump renewing his call for the U.S. to take control of Greenland, dismissing concerns that the alliance is facing a crisis over it.
European officials, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, have sharply criticized Trump’s renewed pressure campaign, warning that a U.S. takeover of Greenland could effectively spell the end of NATO. Rutte, however — who is often complimentary of Trump — rejected the notion that the alliance is under threat.
“No, not at all. And I think we are really working in the right direction,” Rutte said when asked by a reporter whether NATO was facing a crisis due to Trump’s push on Greenland.
“All allies agree on the importance of the Arctic and Arctic security,” the NATO chief said. “And currently we are discussing … how to make sure that we give practical follow-up on those discussions.”
The Trump administration has intensified its insistence in recent weeks that Greenland should become U.S. territory. Trump has long argued that the self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark — strategically positioned between the U.S., Russia, and Europe and rich in critical minerals — is vital to American security interests.
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House said on Jan. 6.
Trump has justified the push by citing increased Russian and Chinese activity near Greenland, warning that Denmark and Greenland are ill-equipped to address the threat.
“Greenland should make the deal because Greenland does not want to see Russia or China take over,” Trump said on Sunday. “Basically, their defense is two dog sleds.”
Rutte, on Monday, appeared broadly aligned with Trump’s assessment of the security risks in the region.
“My only worry is, how do we stay safe against the Russians, against any other adversary? Look at what China is doing in rapidly building up its own armed forces,” Rutte said.
“We are working now together to see how we can basically together as an alliance … to work together to indeed build that next step, which is crucial. That’s the United States, that’s Canada, that’s Iceland, Denmark, and the other European countries,” Rutte added.
Trump’s remarks have sparked fierce backlash from Danish, Greenlandic, and European leaders.
“If the United States chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops,” Frederiksen said on Jan. 6. “That is, including our NATO and thus the security that has been provided since the end of the Second World War.”
Kubilius echoed the warning, telling Reuters on Monday, “It will be the end of NATO, but also among people it will be also very, very negative.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned Trump’s rhetoric, urging Europe to reject what he described as a return to “new colonialism.”
“The United States is an established power that is gradually turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from the international rules that it used to promote,” Macron said Thursday. “Every day, people are wondering if Greenland will be invaded.”
Rutte, however, pointed to what he described as Trump’s positive impact on NATO, crediting the president with pressuring NATO members to dramatically increase defense spending.
“I believe that Donald Trump is doing the right things for NATO, by encouraging us all to spend more, to equalize this, what the U.S. is spending,” Rutte said. “We had a very successful summit in The Hague, where we decided on the 5% defense spending, including 3.5% from core defense.”
“I’m absolutely convinced without Donald Trump, we would never have had that result at the summit in The Hague,” he added.
Trump declared on his Truth Social platform on Jan. 7 that the U.S would “always be there for NATO, even if they won’t be there for us.”
Still, when asked in a Jan. 8 New York Times interview whether acquiring Greenland or preserving NATO was the higher priority, Trump declined to answer directly, acknowledging only that “it may be a choice.”
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