U.S. President Donald Trump again signaled a desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, saying it plays a key role in building the United States' next-generation missile defense system.
On the 14th (local time), Trump wrote on his social media, Truth Social, that "Greenland is absolutely necessary for the national security of the United States" and called it "an essential area for the currently under-construction 'Golden Dome' project."
The "Golden Dome" plan, which Trump first unveiled in May last year, is a U.S. next-generation missile defense system modeled after Israel's "Iron Dome." The goal is to defend the entire United States against attacks from potential adversaries such as China and Russia. The plan envisions deploying 400 to 1,000 observation and tracking satellites and 200 attack satellites tasked with interception missions in space.
In this context, Trump's recent public mention of incorporating Greenland has raised concerns that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance system could be shaken. Even as the diplomatic fallout over Greenland spreads, Trump has not backed down from his position.
Trump said, "NATO must take the lead so that we can secure Greenland," adding, "If we do not step up, Russia or China will move first, and that is absolutely unacceptable."
He went on, "Militarily, I laid a lot of groundwork during my first term, and now I am taking it to a higher level," adding, "Without America's strong military, NATO would not be able to exercise real deterrence or influence."
He added, "If Greenland comes under U.S. control, NATO will become a much stronger and more effective alliance than it is now."