Trump May Exit NATO Over Greenland Even if a Law Bans It

After talks between Greenland and Denmark’s foreign ministers and U.S. officials yielded no results, President Donald Trump was met with questions about his next steps.

Trump previously floated the idea of leaving NATO over other disputes, and as he refuses to rule out that possibility this time, concerns are mounting over the U.S. relationship with the alliance. (Photo: NATO Facebook) 

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump — who continues to ramp up pressure on Greenland in his desire to annex the territory — refused to rule out the option of leaving NATO, Callum Sutherland reported for Time.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said there remains a “fundamental disagreement” between Denmark and the U.S. about what lies ahead for Greenland.

In a display of strength, Denmark announced an expansion of its military presence on and around the island.

Several European NATO allies followed suit, with Sweden and Germany committing to send military personnel to the territory.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 sought to place a firm legal brake on any future attempt to pull the United States out of NATO by prohibiting a president from doing so without either a two-thirds Senate supermajority or an act of Congress, said Ilaria Di Gioia, a senior lecturer in American law at Birmingham City University.

However, Trump has shown a willingness to govern through executive orders.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday said Greenland’s defense was a “common concern” for all of NATO.

Echoing that sentiment, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told reporters in Copenhagen that Denmark is planning to have a “larger and more permanent” NATO presence to ensure the island’s security.

“It’s crucial to show that security in the Arctic is not only for the Kingdom of Denmark, it is for all of NATO,” Poulsen said.

Trump previously floated the idea of leaving NATO over other disputes, and as he refuses to rule out that possibility this time, concerns are mounting over the U.S. relationship with the alliance, which hosts dozens of U.S. military bases that have nuclear weapons.