HEGSETH HINTS THAT US HAS 'CONTINGENCY PLANS' TO INVADE GREENLAND: HERE'S WHAT COULD HAPPEN
Shortly after his second inauguration, President Trump surprised American citizens and the nation’s European allies when he proclaimed that he intended to annex Greenland by any means necessary, including via military action, in order to enhance the US’s security in the face of increasing threats in the arctic region from Russia and China.
Trump’s proclamation sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles across the Atlantic, and received sharp criticism from opponents of his proposal. After a brief two-month lull in the Greenland annexation rhetoric, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during a June 12, 2025 House Armed Services Committee meeting, told committee members that the Pentagon has plans for “any number of contingencies” when asked whether the Pentagon has developed plans to take Greenland or Panama by force if necessary.
In this article, we are taking a look at the history of America’s previous attempts to acquire Greenland – this isn’t the first time – and the potential impact.
Make Greenland Great Again
Greenland has been controlled by Denmark for about 300 years. Denmark governed the island as a colony until 1953, when Greenland officially became part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its people became Danish citizens. In 1979, a referendum on home rule gave Greenland control of most policies within the territory, with Denmark retaining control over foreign affairs and defense.
While Trump’s recent rhetoric on Greenland may seem unusual, previous US Presidents have also made overtures toward Greenlandic accession, although not by military force.
In 1867, after buying Alaska from Russia, US Secretary of State William H Seward led negotiations to buy Greenland from Denmark, but failed to reach any agreement.
After Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Denmark during WWII, the US military invaded Greenland and established military and radio stations across the territory. After the war, US forces remained in Greenland, setting up Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base. The US has been operating the base ever since.
In 1946, the US offered to pay $100 million for the territory, judging that it was vital for national security but the Danish government refused. Sound familiar?
Instead, in 1951, Denmark and the USA signed a defense agreement that granted the US a significant role in the defense of the territory, including the right to build and maintain military bases.
What many don’t remember is that, during Trump’s first term in 2019, he tried to buy Greenland. However, both Denmark and the Greenlandic government rejected the 2019 proposal by saying, "Greenland is not for sale."
That sentiment remains today. In a March 2025 poll, 85% of Greenlanders said they oppose becoming part of the US.
The Pesky Question of Article V
One question the Trump administration has not sufficiently addressed as it considers the annexation of Greenland is America's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Article V of NATO’s Charter.
Under Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty, the cornerstone of the alliance, signatory nations agree that an armed attack against one or more NATO members shall be considered an attack against them all.
This means that if one member is attacked, all other members are obligated to assist the attacked member, though the specific actions taken are determined by each individual member.
For example, during NATO’s Operation Unified Protector, where a NATO-led coalition conducted combat operations and set up a No-Fly Zone in Libya, the German government voted to approve the operation, but elected to not contribute military forces.
The only time in NATO history that Article V has been enacted happened after 9/11 when the North Atlantic Council (NAC) voted to send military support, to include deployment of the alliance’s E-3A Sentry Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, to the US.
What Would Happen if the US Were to Invade Greenland?
If the US were to invade Greenland with the intent of annexation, the NAC would be faced with a challenging decision. Since all NAC decisions must be approved by consensus – a unanimous vote by all council member nations – it is unlikely that the US would vote to enact Article V to act against an attack that it committed.
Conflicts between NATO member nations have occurred before. Specifically, Greece and Turkey have a long history of tension dating back to the Ottoman Empire’s 400-year reign over Greece that ended in a bloody war of independence that ended with Greece declaring its independence in 1830. Those historic animosities still exist today.
Even after Greece and Turkey joined NATO together in 1952, they occasionally engaged each other militarily over disputes related to maritime boundaries, airspace, resource rights, and unresolved historic grievances.
During the Cyprus crisis of 1974, Greece withdrew its military units from NATO’s forces in the southern Mediterranean Sea over Turkey’s threats to invade Cyprus. After Turkey invaded Cyprus later that year, Greece withdrew from the NATO Military Command. Greece eventually rejoined NATO’s Military Command, but Cyprus remains divided to this day with Greece and Turkey still harboring unresolved differences.
Throughout the numerous spats between Greece and Turkey, the other NATO member nations on the NAC have been very quiet and only offered encouragement for a de-escalation of the confrontations and peaceful resolution of the issues that cause them.
How would Canada and the European NATO member nations respond if the US were to invade Greenland with the purpose of annexation?
During a meeting with Trump on March 13, 2025, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was very careful to share his opinion on that topic saying, "When it comes to Greenland, if it joins the US or not, I will leave that outside of me in this discussion because I don't want to drag NATO into that."
The reality is that NATO will immediately be dragged into the issue if a US invasion of Greenland happens.
French President Macron Visits Greenland
Apparently, French President Emmanuel Macron sees that the question of Greenland’s annexation is a European and NATO issue.
On June 15, 2025 Macron visited Nuuk, Greenland accompanied by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Asked about Trump’s ambitions as he arrived in Greenland, Macron is cited by Reuters as saying: “I don’t think that’s what allies do… it’s important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, which has very high strategic stakes and whose territorial integrity must be respected.”
In an effort to address Trump’s increased interest in Greenland, the Danish Parliament expanded their nation’s security agreement with the US allowing it now to establish US bases on the island.
Previously, US personnel operated from Danish installations. In addition, the Danish military recently announced the future deployment of fighter aircraft and a Naval frigate to Greenland that is intended to demonstrate Denmark’s commitment to Greenland’s security requirements.
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