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Saturday, Jan 24, 2026
Outside the box.
Former U.S. Officials Urge White House to Reject Any Military Plan for Greenland
Bipartisan ex-diplomats warn that threatening force to acquire Greenland could damage NATO and alliances
A bipartisan group of former senior U.S. national security and diplomatic officials has formally urged the White House and senior policymakers to oppose any use of military force to seize Greenland, responding to renewed rhetoric from President Donald Trump about the strategic Arctic territory.
The letter, sent to the White House, State Department and key congressional leaders, warns that a military attempt to take control of Greenland from Denmark would jeopardise longstanding alliances and undercut international norms.
The former officials, which include ex-ambassadors to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and former assistant secretaries of state for European affairs, cautioned that suggesting force or coercion over Greenland—an autonomous territory of a NATO ally—would be “strategically disastrous” and could undermine the very security architecture that has helped the United States and its allies manage Arctic competition.
They argued that alienating Denmark, one of America’s most reliable European partners, would do long-term harm to U.S. strategic interests in the region and weaken collective defence commitments.
The memo comes against the backdrop of a series of public comments from President Trump and senior White House aides emphasising Greenland’s strategic importance and not ruling out military options should diplomacy fail, framing U.S. control as essential to counter perceived Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic.
Those statements have drawn strong rebukes from Denmark’s prime minister and leaders across Europe, who reaffirmed that Greenland’s future should be determined solely by the Danish and Greenlandic people.
In their letter, the former officials stressed that the enduring strength of the NATO alliance, economic cooperation and shared security objectives should not be jeopardised by unilateral actions or threats.
The signatories urged current policymakers to pursue diplomatic and collaborative measures with Denmark, Greenland and other partners to address any security concerns without resorting to force, underscoring the importance of upholding international law and mutual respect among allies.
The letter, sent to the White House, State Department and key congressional leaders, warns that a military attempt to take control of Greenland from Denmark would jeopardise longstanding alliances and undercut international norms.
The former officials, which include ex-ambassadors to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and former assistant secretaries of state for European affairs, cautioned that suggesting force or coercion over Greenland—an autonomous territory of a NATO ally—would be “strategically disastrous” and could undermine the very security architecture that has helped the United States and its allies manage Arctic competition.
They argued that alienating Denmark, one of America’s most reliable European partners, would do long-term harm to U.S. strategic interests in the region and weaken collective defence commitments.
The memo comes against the backdrop of a series of public comments from President Trump and senior White House aides emphasising Greenland’s strategic importance and not ruling out military options should diplomacy fail, framing U.S. control as essential to counter perceived Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic.
Those statements have drawn strong rebukes from Denmark’s prime minister and leaders across Europe, who reaffirmed that Greenland’s future should be determined solely by the Danish and Greenlandic people.
In their letter, the former officials stressed that the enduring strength of the NATO alliance, economic cooperation and shared security objectives should not be jeopardised by unilateral actions or threats.
The signatories urged current policymakers to pursue diplomatic and collaborative measures with Denmark, Greenland and other partners to address any security concerns without resorting to force, underscoring the importance of upholding international law and mutual respect among allies.
